Forget Me Not
by Rockleerox93
Summary: Lee is granted a second chance at life through Traumatic amnesia, but not only is he given a new start, but the people around him too. Especially his bully, Gaara Sabaku. GaaLee
1. Second Chance

Lee gagged for what felt like the umpteenth time today. He was sure he would hurl his lunch any second now, but didn't. The redhead must not have beaten him ruthlessly enough to do so. The thought did not relieve him as it should have, because Lee knew he would encounter Gaara tomorrow and the days to come, for all his high school years. Lee could defend himself, just not from his bully. It was as though Gaara was untouchable, like nothing could penetrate even the softest of his flesh. His fierce ocean-green eyes always seemed to paralyze Lee into a stiff body of wood. All dignity dissolved in the pit of his stomach and his throat would begin to itch. It was always this way. Lee loved his school, but didn't know if he would be around for graduation. At this rate of abuse, he might not even make it to next week.

The streets were jammed tight with traffic and anyone with a brain was walking the cracked strip of concrete to their home in the brooks. He didn't live in wealth or middle class. He couldn't even be classified as poor. Lee was one of the millions of travelers trailing a path toward poverty. Lee's home school is Suna High, but he made the effort to be educated by higher scholars such as the ones up in Konoha. The only negative about it was the long run. He made a 2 mile walk to school and a 2 mile walk home every day. He knew he was exhausting himself, but he would rather die than to go to Suna High. That's where Gaara transferred from, and if everyone at Suna was as cruel and malicious, it would be the death of him.

Passing a cove of blackness, Lee's jacket was wretched roughly by the collar. Lee flew backward, dropping his binder in the process. The speed at which he crashed sent jolts of lightning through him. Dizzily, he scrambled to his feet, latching onto something. A rocky surface as cold as ice alarmed him. Lee was grasping a tin trash can lid. He stumbled before balancing himself on the brick wall opposite of him. He blinked, trying to cure his blindness but the darkness of the alley only seemed to thicken.

"Konoha huh?"

Lee jumped at the scrape of sneakers rapping against the concrete. So many different strides of shoes tapped in a fickle rhythm. A dull silhouette outlined three figures in the shadowed area.

"They live rich up there, right?"

"Lucky for us, don't you think?"

A swift air lightly brushed Lee's waist. Lee stretched his hand out only to have it swatted back. The three figures were circling him like a fleet of crows. A gruff hand tapped Lee's butt pocket, a finger found its way inside and quickly resided. Knuckles found his right temple and teasingly popped it, making Lee's bangs sharply sway to the left.

"No cash? What the hell kind of Konohan doesn't have any money?" came a disappointed grumble. There was a silent moment of agreement between the three before Lee felt a stab at his spine, sending him crashing against the alley floor.

Lee grunted at the several kicks to his ribs and coughed when his face was met with the thin sole of a Chuck Norris. After a few minutes, his legs grew warm and vibrant, a sign that they were useless to him. His hands quivered like a war solider diagnosed with shell shock from a bomb. Thunder echoed through his head, bouncing off the walls of his mind. Breathing heavily, he tried to crawl away on his elbows. With his eyes swollen shut, he had no idea where he was going or if those thugs had left him pathetically wounded. A kick exploded against his left temple, and in that moment Lee couldn't hear anything in his left ear. The boys scrambled away, and Lee lay in the alley, one foot in this world, and one in the other. Black was all he could see, and as he drifted into another reality, the shadow of his mind swallowed him whole.

**~o0o~**

It has been a month, two weeks, and three days and still no sign of the annoying kid everyone in Konoha seemed to avoid.

Gaara skipped Physics and walked straight toward the school yard where his motorcycle resided. He fished through his uniform pocket for the pack of Lucky Stars. Successful in his search, he pulled a delicate white stick out of the pouch of cigarettes. He balanced the cancerous item between his lips and fetched the lighter in his jacket; he flicked the silver top back and watched the flame dance wildly. He inhaled his first stress reliever of the day. Lee use to be a substitute for his smoking fetish, but with no more Lee, he had to make do with five cigarettes a day. He blew out a cloud of gray into the atmosphere. He was pissed.

_Guess he finally moved…_

Gaara took two long drags on his cigarette before crushing it on the concrete with his shoe.

Gaara slowly began his journey back into the school, for the class bell has signaled the seven minute scurry to another elective. His was Calculus, but he planned to skip that too. He skulked his way around the school yard, making his way to the back entry way where two heavy metal doors led to the gymnasium. No classes ever met during 4th block in the gym. The coaches usually went out to a local fast food place, ate in the parking lot, and then make their way back into the school.

To be safe, Gaara waited a good fifteen minutes before telling himself that the gym was cleared. He was always right, but for the past month, Coach Gai has stayed behind. Gaara spotted the man collecting sweaty wristbands off the waxed floor that students left behind. It was a lonely job. Only his sneakers made noise as he trotted from one side of the auditorium to the next. Gaara had waltzed right into the gym one day, ready to shoot some hoops or take an hour nap on the bleachers, but when his eyes met Gai's sad ones, he panicked. Lucky for him, the man was dazed. He stared at the redhead, but wasn't really seeing him. When the man finally seemed to notice it was delinquent Gaara Sabaku, he sighed heavily. That's when Gaara knew Gai had hoped Lee walked in instead of him.

That day Gaara used the opportunity to ask about Lee, but when he brought up the question, the man would be so distracted with his own thoughts that every time Gaara opened his mouth, Gai would murmur a "Not now," or he would daze during the question asked and wake up saying, "What was that?" Gaara wondered if the man had finally lost his marbles.

Fifteen minutes have passed, and Gaara stood up from his prezeled sitting position and shoved the double doors open, as he has done every day. As expected, Gai was sitting on the bleachers, left behind. He was supposedly filling out uniform documents, but was texting on his outdated T-Mobile. Texting who? Gaara could care less. The redhead walked right past him, and out of the gym and into the art hallway. He couldn't stand seeing Coach Gai depressed; it made the man more abnormal than he already was. Now that Gai occupied the gym, Gaara spent his small hour of piece in the study hall where no one was present.

Just a yard away from him, two varsity cheerleaders gossiped at their sticker painted lockers. No doubt they were skipping practice. One girl had bubblegum dyed hair, the only unique feature on her small athletic frame besides her lime green eyes. The other girl however had more body to her, a shocking head of blond locks and bright blue eyes. They talked amongst each other, completely oblivious to the company of Gaara's ears. He never cared for gossip. Mainly because they were about him, how _monstrous_ he was since he came from Suna High. He nearly bypassed the colorful girls, until Lee's name was spoken.

"Did you hear about Lee?"

The pink haired one frowned and nodded.

"Yeah, I saw the photo Sai took of Lee while he was at the hospital visiting his brother." She put her hand over her lips and shivered slightly, as if the AC in the school had turned to a chilly wind.

"Ino…he looked so fragile and thin. Is he dying?"

Ino shrugged. "I don't know. But I mean, people don't just up and die from muggings."

"People _do_ up and die. Sai said he was."

"Sakura, Sai doesn't know what he's saying."

"Hey, Sai's brother has been in a coma for 3 years and now the family can't handle the bill. They're pulling the plug on him today." Sakura rubbed her arm and her eyes lost color, "And now look…Lee's in a coma too. I should have gone to the prom with him…I should have had lunch with him…and-"

Ino held Sakura by the shoulders and looked at her pink friend sadly.

"Come on. Let's not talk about this, okay?"

Sakura hesitated before giving a small nod of understanding.

As if sensing another presence, Ino slowly turned to see a baffled redhead only a foot beside her. She gave a small shriek and jump. She scrambled to Sakura's side and grabbed her wrist, dragging the pink girl away with her.

"Let's go."

Sakura, oblivious to what had spooked her blond friend, glanced at the hallway and met a dangerous set of eyes rimmed in black. Gaara. She and Ino both shared a scared look before disappearing together into another hallway.

Gaara stood in the same spot for five whole minutes before forcing himself to march toward the study hall. Finally coming across the room, he reached his hand out and grabbed the knob. It was cold to his touch. Gaara vaguely wondered if the dead were just as frigid… He twisted the metal and entered the empty classroom. Desks were neatly arranged, divided into four columns and five rows. He chose the seat in front of the teacher's work desk. The one Lee would have chosen. Gaara growled lowly, Lee was _such_ a dork. That feature alone of Lee's was enough to make him kick a dog. Gaara hated pets, but Lee loved them. The boy was a tree hugger, while Gaara was the reason for the hole in the Ozone Layer. The boy was full of energy and cheer, while Gaara wasted his strength by beating Lee day to day. Lee wasn't normal and neither was Gaara, but the redhead saw himself as much an individual as any other teenager on the street while Lee was abnormal and annoyingly happy. Lee's behavior…was it even natural? Gaara doubted it. It was no wonder Lee was mugged, but even so…if someone hadn't put Lee in the hospital that way, would he have ended up there anyway just from the abuse Gaara did to him? Maybe it was only a matter of time until he put Lee into a coma, it just so happened that someone beat him to it.

Gaara didn't get any peace of mind in the study hall. He didn't even recall blinking…

Gaara left ten minutes before the dismissal bell rang. He needed a head start to the hospital if he wanted to make to make a visit.

Gaara slowly began his walk in cool balanced strides. But that became a paced jog. And then to a track-star run. He was racing the wind it seemed until he burst through the school exit and landed in the school parking lot. He was able to spot his blood red Harley, its black stripe running through the metal design. It was a work of art really. He was at its side in seconds. He was in the process of throwing his leg over its black cushion when a voice called to him.

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?"

It was a deep voice, a voice he hadn't heard in weeks. He gave his head a general twist to see the spokesperson, It was Gai.

"Home." He lied. He jerked his handlebars and made the engine hum loudly.

Gai pressed a button on his car key, lighting up his Chevy green truck. The man gave a passive smile and placed his fingers on the trucks door.

"Really now?"

Gaara glared at the man.

"Yeah. And where are _you_ going?" Gaara spat back.

"I'm off to see Lee." Gai gently popped the door and jumped inside his Chevy, starting his own engine. He rolled down his window and poked his head out, "He's very sick and he needs all the support he can get!" He ended the last note with a perky pitch.

Gaara didn't bother to look back at Gai. He zoomed off, leaving the coach in his dust.

**~o0o~**

Gaara races past the information desk and then backtracks a few paces. He almost forgot to sign the visitor's paper. The nurse asks him sweetly for the name of the patient he is attempting to visit. As soon as Lee's name rolls off his tongue, the nurse's response is nearly immediate.

"Lee is stationed in room 213."

He knew that nurses at the counter had a computer for a reason, it was to look up patient names, but from her quick answer, he realized that the woman knew Lee's room number by heart. But for her to know that without thinking, someone had to be visiting Lee almost every day.

Gaara slowly made his way down a narrow hall. They were painted a painful white, and the doors of patient rooms were stamped with bold black numbers. Was that all a patient was to a doctor? A number?

Off the doors Gaara read silently to himself.

"209…210…211…212…"

213.

Gaara found himself standing a foot away from the knob. He waited a few seconds before grabbing the knob. It was warm. Someone had just been here, gripping the metal, paralyzed. Just as he was now.

Gaara breathed and twisted the knob, but stopped. He could hear a voice beyond the door's wooden restraint…

"I'm here again…"

There was some shuffling and then a cough of, what Gaara supposed, to be a man.

"So many people have come to see you, you know? I wish you could see the flowers that littered your windowsill...before they wilted."

There was an uncomfortable pause and then the scrape of chair legs. A formal good bye followed. The kind that went, "Well, it was nice meeting you. I hope to see you again sometime," but more matter-of-fact. Gaara wouldn't be surprised if there was a one-sided handshake. Was Lee really receiving visits from people he didn't even know?

Well, whoever was in there took their sweet time leaving. Gaara was still standing outside the door, twenty minutes have ticked past him with the speed of the turtle who stupidly raced the hare. Gaara's hand moved unintentionally, and so did the knob it was grasping. The door jumped out and swept Gaara behind it, he nearly hit the wall. He was in the doors black shadow until a figure's eye peered at the slit under the door and saw the white soles of Vans. The man pulled the door towards him, emerged in front of it, and then shut it. The stranger that visited Lee was no stranger to Gaara. It was Gai.

"Going home, huh?"

Gaara rubbed the back of his neck and pointed his eyes to a vending machine to his right, clearly agitated. How did he get here before him?

"I was just leaving."

"So am I, aren't you going to follow me out?"

"…In a minute."

Gai shook his head. He looked grim, and had advanced to a whole new level of depression.

"Gaara…be nice to him." Gai turned his back to Gaara and began his journey to the information desk, probably to sign out.

Before he turned the corner he said, "I'll see you at school tomorrow." And with that, he was gone.

Gaara didn't come to the hospital to be _nice_ to Lee. He came to get to the bottom of the gossip. Gossip was always over exaggerated, and that's exactly what Lee was doing, exaggerating his illness. Gaara knew, deep down, that Lee was hurt bad, but a few bruises never stopped Lee from coming to school. Being in pain was one thing, but where did this "sickness" talk come from? Being hurt and being sick are two different things. And if Lee was bruised up, he could slap a few Band-Aids on and be at school first thing tomorrow.

With these facts in mind, Gaara had enough anger settled in him to melt away his anxiety and waltzed right into Lee's hospital room. But as soon as he stepped in, he was hit hard in the heart. His causally intimidating face slipped for only the slightest second upon seeing his classmate. Translucent tubes and IV needles were hooked up to the deathly thin boy in the bed. Gaara's mouth dropped slowly as he took in the visual of Lee. His face looked icy and drained of all energy. His breathing was low and shaky. The skin under his eyes has paled to a fine, almost black tint.

If it weren't for the heart monitors timely beeps, Gaara would have thought Lee was dead.

Gaara, he didn't realize that he had walked from the entrance to Lee's bedside. He let himself slide into the overused plush chair next to him. The white room and Lee made breathing seem forbidden. So he found himself mute and just stared. As much as he hoped, this was not a dream. Yes, gossip was exaggerated...but not this time.

Lee's skin was a frightening gray, he almost appeared translucent. Gaara was afraid if he touched the boy, he'd bruise him on accident.

Lee began to stir, quietly moaning in waking pain. He tossed his head to the side, obviously drowsy from sleep and medication. He stared up at Gaara with one swollen eye and a normal onyx one. He smiled uncomfortably.

"Where am I?"

"The hospital…"

Lee brought his brows together and closed his eyes tight, being completely over run with the pain of bed sores and bandaged wounds. After regaining some composure, Lee looked even more tired. He glanced at Gaara. Gaara studied those round eyes. They seemed like they were universes away, although Gaara's ocean green one's were inches apart from them. Lee had his foot in this world and perhaps the other.

Gaara didn't know whether to talk, or to get up and leave. Before he could decide what to do, Lee began to talk in a raspy voice.

"Are you here to visit me…?"

"....what does it look like?"

Lee's smile faltered for a moment before regaining strength.

"I just thought it was nice of you."

"...."

Lee looked about uncomfortably but finally asked the question he'd been eluding. "Who are you?"

Gaara blinked. Was Lee messing with him? Gaara practically beat Lee ever since his sophomore year all the way up to his Junior year. He knew the boy hadn't forgotten his name. The red head couldn't believe Lee would play a joke on his soon-to-be deathbed.

"Don't be stupid."

Lee frowned and tightened his lips. He blinked and sat up on his elbow slowly, hissing as he did so, but when he finally managed to sit up, he just stared at Gaara, painfully confused.

"No, I am not, and you my _friend_, are _not_ nice."

Gaara gave Lee a soar look but when he received the same annoying confusion in Lee's eyes, everything in him came up in one angry ball of fire. The one thing he had been holding in, the one thing he wanted to do more than anything was to explode. And he did just that.

"I'm _not_ your friend. And I _didn't_ come here to visit you." He stood up and dangerously narrowed his eyes at the small sickly frame that was Lee. "You know, there was a kid here who was in a coma for 3 years, but he never got the chance to be a miracle like you, to wake up. His family pulled the plug on his life today because they couldn't afford for him to _live_."

Gaara stopped and closed in on Lee's face, almost like he wanted to touch foreheads with him, but stopped just a centimeter away. He said in a low voice, "I wish it had been you. There is no life waiting for you. Not at school, not at home, not anywhere!" Gaara slowly brought his face out of Lee's personal space. The redhead stood up, a pure statue of intimidation. But Lee's face made him realize the effect of his cruel words. He didn't want to take his words back, he meant them. But Lee's face… eyes wide and mouth painfully tight with trapped cries behind them, made him want to lie and say "Just kidding."

But it was too late, the damage had been done.

Lee sat for a composed minute before his lips moved. And then they moved again, in the same slow fashion, repeating words Gaara could not catch. Lee spoke a third time, very quiet, but Gaara caught it.

"Get out."

Gaara shot Lee a glare, but Lee did not look at him.

"Get…out…get out…get out…GET OUT!" Lee's words went from a whisper, to an average tone, and then, in one swift note, his raspy voice shot up into a high strangled scream.

Gaara backed out into the hallway, completely taken by surprise from Lee's angry display of emotions. The boy rested a bony hand to his heart and tears slowly began to build in the corners of his shut eyes. The tears rolled slowly like rain drops down his reddened cheeks. He was wailing loudly like an abandoned child. Gaara didn't want to be there anymore, and did just what Lee ordered. He darted past the information desk, the nurse called out to him, trying to get him to sign out, but he was already out the door.

She quickly picked up the clip board and searched for the boys sign in signature. Gaara Sabaku. She shot her eyes at the visiting log. There was nothing written. That's when it hits her; she gave him a room number off the tip of her tongue. Lee Rock, room 213. Something happened and she was going to find out what, but just when she set the document down, an orange blinker shined on the automated dial on her desk. The circular light was going off next to the number 213. The patient, Lee, was awake. The boy who was in a coma for nearly 2 months was awake! She mashed a bottom on her computer to alert another nurse to take over the station. She rushed down the hallway, but as soon as she stepped foot in the narrow aisle, a terrible cry could be heard. She was at Lee's door in seconds, panic rising in her.

The boy was hunched over, both hands over his chest, rocking slowly and crying with his eyes clasped shut. The nurse mashed a green button on her monitor, alerting the doctor to come. She then sat in the chair next to him, shushing him softly and sweetly asking what happened, but the boy kept crying. And she let him.

Nearly ten minutes passed before the doctor showed his face. Lee's crying was reduced to a dry hiccup. The doctor asked Lee what happened, but Lee ignored him and stared blankly at the wall in front of him with his hands on either side of his legs. The doctor shook his head and asked a different question. He asked him about what school he went to. Lee answered Konoha High. He asked what grade he was in. Lee said the eleventh. But when the man asked for teacher names in certain subjects, students and siblings, Lee struggled. He didn't have a clue, even when he was asked to describe what they looked like; he couldn't conjure up a mental image. He was asked about home, but Lee's mind was blank. The doctor frowned and scribbled something on his document and asked the nurse to keep an eye on Lee while he went to go fetch the phone. She nodded, but stole a peak at the scribbled note.

Traumatic amnesia.

The nurse frowned and looked at Lee with a sort of pitiful expression. Not too far off she could hear the doctor talking on the phone with someone she presumed to be in some relation to Lee.

"Yes," The doctor assured, "It's an aliment of brain damage from a hard blow to the head, such as in a car accident. It can lead to anything from a brief loss of consciousness to coma. Traumatic amnesia is often transient; the duration of the amnesia is related to the degree of injury…yes, Sir… and may give an indication of the prognosis for recovery of other functions."

There was a long pause.

"Yes…"the doctor nodded, "He is awake…no. I'm afraid visiting hours are over for today…yes, Sir. You may, as early as 10:00am." There was another pause before the doctor resumed his speech.

"You too. Good bye."

The doctor walked back into the room and smiled. It was an attempt to encourage Lee, but it didn't work.

"You're a very lucky man, Lee. But, you'll have to stay just a while longer until we can get your memories flowing. You'll be admitted to school through homework and class assignments being sent straight to the hospital and delivered right here at your room." The doctor looked at his watch and tapped its silver face.

"Well, it's gotten late. I advise you to get some rest. If you need something, feel free to press the nursing assistant button. Good night." And the doctor was gone. But the nurse stayed.

Lee looked so down, that she couldn't help but leave him in good spirits.

"Lee, amnesia…it's not always a bad thing. Sometimes in life things aren't going according to plan, but with your loss of identity, you can start fresh. A choice people don't get too often…" She smiled and slowly walked to the doorway and gave Lee one last look.

"It's a second chance, but not just for you, but the people around you too."


	2. The Deal

It was Friday and Gaara finally had the weekend to look forward to. As usual, he was in the school parking lot, watching the other teens that skipped drive off with their gang of friends or their lover. After they hurried off in their parents cars to god-knows-where, Gaara was finally by himself in the parking lot, leaned against his unique Harley, wasting away on the inside from inhaling his 3rd cigarette. After that stunt at the hospital yesterday, his smoking fetish has increased. He was up to 7 cigarettes a day now.

Once again, Physics was bypassed and now Gaara had his eyes glued to his watch's face. He was counting down the 15 minute wait of fleeing gym teachers, well, with the exception of Gai. He couldn't wait to get to the study hall. He needed some major thinking time. He slowly let his hand slide into his uniform pocket and with the other hand, he tapped his cigarette with a finger to rid some of the built up ash. What he said to Lee yesterday…it bothered him. He meant those words no doubt, but the disturbed look on Lee's face, how totally bemused and distressed he seemed. Lee's expression haunted him every time he closed his eyes. Because of it, he went without sleep last night. Gaara tightened his lips into a serious frown and threw down his cigarette without stomping its light out.

His fifteen minutes were up.

He casually walked over to the back entrance way, but as soon as his fingers met the metal surface, the doors swung wide open. Gai was standing there with both arms outstretched, holding the doors apart, like the staff Moses used to part the Red Sea. The man glared at Gaara.

"We need to talk."

Gaara raised a non-existent eyebrow. If this were any other day, he would have laughed in Gai's face. But this was no ordinary day. And this wasn't the ordinary and depressed man from yesterday. The Gai he was staring at today was upset, furious even.

"I have nothing to say." Gaara attempted to squeeze past Gai, but a strong hand threw him back into the street. Gaara huffed and narrowed his eyes at the man. If his glare didn't scare him, he'd have to get his revenge another day, and he really didn't want to take a shortcut through the track field. Not in this heat anyway.

Gai fished something out of his shirt pocket, leaving the left side of the gym door to slam shut. He held it out for Gaara to take, but Gaara refused the note because he knew what it was. That awful blossom-pink dated paper could never be mistaken.

It was a referral notice with his name scribbled at the bottom in bold black ink.

The redhead snatched the paper and ripped it up. He held his palm out with all the tattered peaces and blew them into Gai's chest with his breath. He smirked while Gai frowned.

"I have more where that came from."

Gaara seriously did not understand his predicament. Every teacher in Konoha knew Gaara skipped. As a matter of fact, everyday his teachers would automatically scrolled their eyes down their role sheets and check off the "absent" square next to his name. They were aware of his skipping, and frankly, none of them cared enough to stop him in the hall and chat about his delinquency. So why wasn't Gai letting up like the rest of them? Hasn't the man let him brush past him every day for the past month and a half now? What was with the sudden disciple?

Gai motioned a wary glance around the parking area, as if to make sure the cast of delinquents and teachers were gone. After that precaution, he pressed his back against the metal door still open, widening its one-way entrance. He crossed his arms and coolly placed one leg in front of the other, leaned against the gym door with a still face.

"We can either _talk_, or you can wait outside in the hot sun with your bike?" Gaara glared at the man and his silly comment. Was he supposed to play the role of a scared and obedient child just to please this authority figure? Or be the intimidating rebel he was born into? He didn't chose either, and stared Gai straight in the eyes and waited for something to happen. Whatever was to unfold in the next 30 seconds would _never_ make Gaara bow to Gai's suggestion.

"If you want to be like that, I guess you have no interest in this photo being sent to every gym student's cell." Gai raised his own outdated phone, but the camera shot made Gaara go very still. It was a clear shot of him almost touching foreheads with Lee. His pale face was focused and his narrowed ocean-green eyes were painfully serious while Lee was blank and completely lost. Gaara lunged for the phone but Gai towered over the boy by at least 2 feet. He easily placed the phone into his butt pocket and stared at the fuming redhead below.

"How did you get _that_." Gaara said dangerously. Gai walked away from the gym door he was leaning on and held it open with his palm, and with the other hand, outstretched it kindly like a waiter catering a couple to a nice seat in a restaurant.

"Come inside, and we'll talk about it." And Gaara did.

Stepping into the gym had always felt like a minor obstacle in the face of Gaara's skipping time, but now the area was bleak and stony, like the weight of all suspicion on a guilty criminal. Gaara didn't like the way his situation was going. How the hell did Gai get that photo? And how did he get such a clear shot with such an outdated phone? Gaara stopped just a breath away from the bleachers when an epiphany slapped him hard in the face. Gai didn't take that photo, someone _sent _it to him. Slowly, he twisted his attention to the man before him and almost twitched. Almost.

"During the prep rally two hours ago, I went to go visit Lee." Gai slowly flipped the face of his phone and stared into the glowing photo. The man's whole expression seemed to drop, his jaw was low and his eyes seemed to fog up.

"Lee is awake…"Gaara had expected Gai to sound annoyingly proud, but the words came out at a snail's pace and was laced with worry.

"But he isn't the same. He just sits and stares out the window, like nature is interesting. I asked him how he felt, and after a while of silence, he turned to look me straight in the eyes and said "Like nothing." And I just…I said, "You're something to _me_. I wouldn't come to see you if I didn't care." Gai casted a thoughtful glare at his phone, still grasping the expression on Lee's confused face.

"Lee…what he said next was so strange, so unlike him, that I had to understand why he would even say something so inhumane." Gaara swallowed. He didn't understand what this lecture had to do with him anymore. But, as dark as Gaara seemed on the outside, he was in truth, the nosiest person who walked the planet. He wanted to know what Lee said, he wanted to know _badly_. Even so, it was hard to digest that Lee, the nerd who practically lapped up every teaching Gai ever preached, shot the man down like he was some kind of stranger. It was a depressing thought. Just how messed up did the beating leave Lee?

Gaara frowned, "This is your problem, I don't have to listen to this-"A strong hand jerked at his uniform collar with so much force, that Gaara's head snapped back. Gai's nose, only a pinch away, was pointed sharply down at Gaara's lips.

"This has _everything_ to do with you. You _will_ listen. You created this problem, and you're going to fix it." Gai effortlessly dropped Gaara down on the bleachers and turned his back to the surprised delinquent. Gaara brought a shaky hand across his forehead to brush the stray bangs out of his view. He has never been so nervous in his life. This Gai…he didn't like him at all. He never thought the loud and venturous gym coach would be missed, but yet again, we stood corrected.

Whatever Lee shared with Gai today, Gaara knew it was his fault. He was guilty of breaking Lee, and he had to fix him…he knew that. But what could Gaara possibly say to Lee that the boy wouldn't ignore? What chance does a bully have when it comes to apologizing to his victim? No chance. Unless the victim is forgiving. _Very_ forgiving. And in this case, Gaara had the advantage.

The photo came flashing into Gaara's memory, and in that instant, Gaara knew that the photos were on standby because Gai had the final say on when they get sent out. Maybe in the process of this deal he's about to make with Gai, he can catch the punk with the cellular photo, destroy him mentally and physically, and rip this deal apart. With this in mind, Gaara inwardly smirked. He causally got to his feet, new found determination coursing through his body. He couldn't explain why he was so excited about his unraveling situation, but if it meant being reunited with Lee, he could make do with whatever Gai threw at him. He had to get his point across to Lee, no matter what. He wasn't going to let Lee trick everyone…he wasn't going to let Lee forget his name.

"What do you want from me?"

Gai stopped his steps and said lowly, "Lee sees me as an average official, the kind that is _suppose _to care, the kind that is s_uppose_ to visit him daily. He sees me this way because I'm an _adult_. But you're in his age group…" He twisted around to stare at Gaara and continued, "You will visit Lee every afternoon on every week day, even the weekends. Follow this routine until he is released from the hospital. If you can do that, this photo," Gai lifted his phone, letting the screen shine from afar, "will stay between you and me."

Gaara could feel anxiety building up within him, like a fire slowing brewing in a forest. But this was a time to exact an act of amends. To be forgiven. For Lee to regain his real persona, the one thing he left behind. An identity of self.

And it was Gaara's mission to shatter it all.

"I'll do it."

**Sorry guys, I've been absent for…forever. But this is just a note to express that I'm very much alive and am trying to continue this story. I plan to finish it, but not before I finish Felon. Chp. 8 of Felon is halfway written, I don't know when I'll be able to sit do and scribble on the document some more, but this was just something to chew on until I get a real juicy chapter flowing next time :D (It'll be long, I promise ^^)! **


	3. Being Saturday

Saturday had finally arrived, but was quickly gone for Gaara. What good is a weekend when he couldn't sit back and relax and do as he wished? He glared at his Blackberry's touch screen and frowned. This photo… At first the idea of proving Gai wrong and dishing Lee out seemed exciting, but now his situation seemed ridiculous.

The hospital's visiting hours ranged from 10:00am to 5:30pm, yet Gaara was staring at the digital numbers flashing on his alarm clock, 4:24pm. He _really_ didn't want to go. After what he said to Lee, he'd be surprised if the volunteer staff let him pass through the front doors. Couldn't he just lie to Gai and say that he visited Lee? Possibly, but as of late, Gai has seen through every lie Gaara has said to him in the past two days. With that in mind, he preceded to get ready for the hospital.

Heat encased him entirely in the shower. He held his face under the spout of gushing water, letting it stream down his lean frame. Knitting his brows together, he concentrated on what to wear. _What to wear?_ It wasn't like he was dressing up for some fancy date, it was just Lee. Gaara could care less what that nerd thought about his attire. But still, he should dress nice…

Whatever.

With the twist of the sliver knob, he eased out of the shower, steam rising off of him in waves. He glanced at the medicine cabinet, automatically, he gave the mirror a quick wipe to clear some fog away, just enough to see half of his reflection. He fished around for the tube of Crest Wintermint with one hand, and with the other, limply grasped his neon green tooth brush. Finding the tube secluded in the far corner of his bathroom drawer, he gripped it tight and popped the cap off with his thumb, glazed the bristles, and brushed his teeth with the blue paste. After a quick rinse, he dragged himself to his room while wrapping a towel around his waist.

If anyone else saw his room, they wouldn't believe he lived there. Neat, crisp, and smelled of spices. CD albums were compressed on the headboard of his queen sized bed. A guitar resided at its foot. A lamp with thin metal extensions, like branches to a tree, stemmed out in four ways with a light bulb and shade attached to each end, all different hues of earth tones. A reasonable sized desk, sleek and black with a matching stool was pressed under a huge window looking out at the street. His room had such an artsy feel to it, that his peers at school would drop their jaws at first glance. He was most proud of his walk in closet, the door painted a deep coffee brown. Upon entrance, to his right hung a few t-shirts, a black jean jacket, a pullover sweater, and a fitting coat. To his left, four pairs of jeans dangled. He yanked a pair of gray distressed ones with small rips off of its hanger, and a deep maroon shirt with cool faded black letters. He dropped them onto his comforter, dried the rest of his body off, and casually slipped them on. Exiting his room, he waltzed past his box television and scooped up his motorcycle keys by the chain with a swift finger. He twirled them in one simple circle before clasping them in a fist and marched out his apartment door, slamming it shut behind him. He didn't bother to lock it. Only a nut would think to rob his stuff.

The parking lot, a smear of black with faded yellow lines, some crooked, some straight, there were even ones with a half painted handicap man between them. The apartment complex was a total dump thanks to neglect and negative tourism. Gaara peered forward into the outdated lot, grinning slightly at his cool Harley, complete with a radiant glare from the sun. Slowly he motioned toward it, keeping his attention on the beat up gravel. Looking right at the speed demon was sure to cause blindness. He brought his leg over the seat in slow motion. His skilled fists gripped the handles at a snail's pace. Everything he did was extremely cautioned. If he could steal away time from the hour he planned to stay at Lee's bedside, he would. Perhaps seven, maybe ten minutes elapsed by the time he started the engine. The humming of the crimson beauty rattled his body, but the vibrations always leveled out into a smooth ride when he hit the gas. When he speeds, all of society around him blends into a blur of music. Peaceful music, the kind you'd find in a valley of Chinese elms and glittering pools of white spring water. The sound of time passing. The song of the wind… He couldn't say why he felt so serene when he drove his Harley, but that was every other day. Today however, the noise around him was nothing but meaningless gossip, truck horns and the ringing of passerby cell phones. Everything was what it was. Everything sounded the way it sounded. He was surrounded by annoyance, and yet he was on his way to the heart it all; Sunakagure's Memorial Hospital.

**~o0o~**

The automatic doors parted for Gaara, but he did not step forward. The glass closed in front of him, but quickly jutted to the sides when an old couple bypassed him and waltzed into the place like it was some lovely residence. As if the building was anything but a hospital. Gaara folded his arms across his chest and exhaled slowly. He wasn't nervous, he wasn't anxious, he wasn't _anything_. His reasoning for being there was completely based on blackmail and Gai's demands. That was it. No true strings attached. In graceful strides, Gaara advanced past the double doors and arrived at the information desk. He lifted a ballpoint pen attached to a clipboard of various names and times and added his own to the list. He glanced up at the nurse. Turns out there wasn't one, just a woman, no, _girl_, who was chewing Orbit, scribbling out notes on sticky paper in bubbly purple ink. _Matsuri's Hospital Schedule_:

Clock in

Open info desk

Patient rooms to memorize

Break at lunch…

She looked up from her paper and stared into Gaara's eyes. Slowly, a dusty pink began to cloud her cheeks. Gaara straightened up and placed the pen down quickly. Great. A volunteer who not only ignored him upon first entry, but now liked him? He decided to make this meeting a short one.

"Lee, room 213." He said flatly, letting his hands slip coolly into his deep pockets. Her blush now rivaled his hair color.

"Right…" she murmured, pointing down the hall, giving him directions. She was trying to act as though she was on top of her duties, but even so, Gaara gave a curt nod of the head to give a show of appreciation, but really intended to cut her off in the middle of her explanation. He ignored her sudden apology and trotted off toward Lee's room while her head was bowed down in traditional courtesy. That moment would have been a good waste of time, but he was already in a bad mood as it was. His Saturday had already been stolen from him. He didn't need a middle school girl staring at him like he was the next Bachelor to be on TV…

Left foot…right foot…left foot again…

The hall seemed to be thinning out behind him as his steps grew slower in their journey to room 213. The noise from his Vans echoed, they sounded so close, and loud… Lee's room was approaching a little too fast for his liking. It had taken him a total of 26 minutes to get to the hospital. He was sure to have manipulated his time card, but calculating the rest of the time he'd have to spend with Lee was still long. 34 minutes to sit by Lee, just sit. He wouldn't chat, or at least try not to. He found himself wishing, praying even, that he would find Lee asleep in his room. But of course, wishes never come true for those that don't wish on a star. And prayers aren't really answered, just listened to, but in the end, fate always wins.

Finally reaching the door, Gaara found himself in the same position he was in the last time he paid Lee a visit. Gaara was outside his door, listening to his own breathing, his hand gripping the knob, completely glued in place. For a moment he couldn't think, but after a few seconds he released the knob and brought cold fingers to his forehead. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just do this? Get this over with?

He crouched to his knees and held his head in his arms. He was drained…no sleep again yesterday. He rarely ever had dreams, but last night…a dream had stirred him out of his slumber with his eyes stretched out past their narrow perimeter, staring widely at his bedroom ceiling. He didn't drift back into sleep after that.

He remembered that nothing had surrounded him, just the color of _His_ eyes. He was trapped with no place to run, no place to hide, nothing but shadows all around him. He was drowning in blackness, but a presence was there, even in the darkness, he could feel _Him _watching. Just staring him down. Confused and blank, _His_ eyes stared, but they were asking questions.

_Who are you? _

_Who was I? _

_Do you know? _

The nightmare from yesterday, it still haunted Gaara. Even at this very moment, even in his wake...

That memory was all the convincing he needed to stop what he was doing. He stood up, dusted his jeans off and pivoted around.

He was going to ditch.

So what if the photos got out? Who cared anyway?

Gaara was halfway toward the information desk, a little annoyed by the thought of that girl being there. Right when he was turning the corner, a sweet voice called out to him, "Young man?" Gaara glared over his shoulder, pausing in the middle of his step. The spot Gaara had been standing at, an old woman stood. From the looks of it, the door to 214 was slightly cracked with her small form emerging through it. Was she a visitor?

She was tiny in stature, but she had a graceful air about her, so much so that Gaara scratched the back of his neck, somewhat ashamed for glaring at her. Gaara was mean, true enough, but he did have morals. He respected the elderly if anything, even smiled at babies from time to time. He couldn't just ignore her, so he stopped walking, faced her and awaited her question.

"Young man?" she repeated in the same tiny voice. She gave a quick wave and nod, signaling him to come closer. Gaara slowly stole a peak from behind him, making sure that there wasn't another "young man" she could be addressing. Apparently, it was clear she was speaking to him since no other life force was with them in the hallway. He strode carefully, trying to make a decent impression on this woman. He didn't want to appear as a delinquent outside of school too… He was a good foot away from her now. She was shorter than he expected. She only came up to his elbow. 4'8 possibly?

"Are you here to visit someone? A dear friend maybe?" Gaara didn't know why the elderly were so nosy. Did they feel privileged to be in everyone's business simply because their age qualified them? Whatever the reason, Gaara hesitated to answer.

"Not really." He offered. But the woman inquired further, "Oh? Then why would someone your age be here when you could be off doing other things with your Saturday?" She let a smile grace her thin lips, the knowing kind. Gaara didn't feel comfortable, but he didn't feel violated either. Have the elderly always had this kind of advantage in small talk?

"…"

He shrugged his shoulders. It's not like it was any of her business. Actually, it was _nobody's_ business, but for some odd reason everyone wanted to pry. Gai, his annoying gym coach who cheered about "youth" and "strength" during morning exercises, wrote him a referral yesterday for skipping class. The man never cared all the other days, but now that Lee was thrown in the mix, anything he did was an automatic write up. And now some stranger, this old lady, wanted in on the blackmail? She might as well have asked the impossible.

"Oh child," She laughed, but kept that same ancient grin on her face, "People don't do what they don't _want_ to. Even if they're being _made_ to do it, they still find ways to turn on their heels and leave."

Gaara stared at her anxiously. Can the old read minds?

She brought her delicate hands together and intertwined her bony fingers, letting them drift silently down her long knitted skirt until they rested below her stomach.

"This is a hospital, no? These patients here," She stepped in front of Lee's room with one of her hands outstretched, as if she were trying to reach for the stars beyond the white walls, "They're stuck. If they had any say, why..." She gave Gaara a hopeful glance, "they would dream to be in _your_ shoes, and walk right out of this place, free to spend their Saturday however they wished."

Gaara let his eyes drop to his shoes. The way she spoke in that suggestive tone, like he should do something with his time instead of the usual cigarette "fix-me-up". She wanted something from him… but _what_?

Her eyes seemed to twinkle, and her face became smooth, almost young…

"Before you go and spend your Saturday, maybe you could be someone _else's_ Saturday, hm?" she gave a soft heart-felt laugh, all the while shaking her head pleasantly.

"Oh, but listen to me!" She gave another giggle, "I sound like some jabbering old fool…"

She gave a half glance behind her as a man slowly craned his way out of room 214. An old man in beige suspenders with a neat white sweater emerged quietly, but gracefully at her hip. The woman smiled at him lovingly, and he returned her gesture. They were the same couple that entered through the double doors when he first arrived…

She waved to Gaara as she and her husband strolled out of the hall, side-by-side as laughing music. Gaara gazed at the corner they disappeared around, feeling as though he understood why the elderly were so at peace with themselves.

A mousy, "Thank you for visiting Sunakagure!" echoed down the hallway, the voice was the volunteer girls. The dull bump of glass doors coming together finalized the couples leaving.

Gaara was left to accompany himself in the hallway once again. The silence around him seemed eerie, the whispers in the wind flew by his ears, and the air vents high above him howled… He rocked on his heels, not because he was nervous, just so he could busy himself while he waited. What he was waiting for, he didn't know. After his feet were done seesawing, he let them level out on the tile flooring. A pressure was settling on his body, making him go very still. Without moving his head, he slowly rolled his eyes into their corners, allowing them to sneak a sideways peek at the door beside him.

213.

_Be someone else's Saturday._

He gave the face of his watch a wary look. It was 5:14pm. He could stay until closing. It wouldn't hurt anything just to say hello to Lee, but after that…

He was getting the hell out of here.

His mind was pulsing, and his palms were hot, but he was twisting the knob. Automatically, he leaned into the push of the door, as though he was just poking his head in to spy.

There _He_ was. His back faced Gaara and his black curls were ruffled from sleep. His skin was a pale shade of apricot, but it was a great improvement from the gray hue he was the day before. Lee was staring blankly out his bedside window, but in all actuality, he was studying his own reflection. Lee noticed his intruder immediately, but his expression was not a shocked one, just dazed. Gaara stared back at Lee with an expression that was somewhat annoyed and sickened at the same time.

"You again…" Lee's voice wasn't even a whisper. It was almost holographic, like it could fade in and out of sounds. It had a hollow texture to it, as if the voice was hiding somewhere deep in another place. Another world.

Gaara didn't bother to take a seat in the flat cushion provided by Lee's bed. He stepped over toward him, almost in a glide, as if he were trying to chase away the awkward silence in the room. In a lazy half turn, Lee's face was finally toward Gaara's snarky one. The black eye he sported yesterday was no longer a swollen knot. It now appeared as a circular purple bruise, his eye was a squint of black, but at least he could see. Lee's neck looked as if it was some foreign object protruding out of his languid body. Lee always had a lanky figure to begin with, but this strange angular person now, was this Lee? Was it truly? He used to look so healthy jogging around the school campus, gracing students with quick hellos and comments, that it was sad gazing upon this body, unable to define who he once was. Gaara couldn't stop staring at Lee. This wasn't him. How could he have fallen so short of who he once was? It was like this Lee was someone else.

A complete stranger.

"Who _are_ you?"

Gaara let his slender fingers caress his throat, had he really asked that? Lee maneuvered his eyes stealthily, shifting them from the window to Gaara's narrowed ocean ones. His shoulders were as limp as paper and his expression remained passive.

"Did I not ask you that same question yesterday?"

"I'm Gaara…" A soft pang pulsed in his chest, like a string being wound up tighter and tighter until it finally snapped. "I've always been Gaara."

It was weird having something so obvious roll off his tongue. But he vaguely wondered if Lee could ask himself that same question and come to a simple answer.

"My name is Rock…no, Lee. Rock is my last name, I _think._"Lee flipped his palm over and gave it a small glance before looking to Gaara and nodding his head, completely certain of his answer now.

"Lee Rock."

Gaara was seething inside. He clenched his fingers around Lee's bony wrist and forced it to twist, flopping Lee's hand over so that his palm was to the ceiling. _Lee Rock_ was scrawled there across pale skin in sloppy blue ink. Gaara gazed into Lee's baffled eyes disbelievingly. Lee needed to remind himself who he was with some scribbled _note?_

Gaara let Lee's wrist slip out of his grasp, letting it flop onto the mattress weakly.

"Nothing…" Gaara let long slender fingers run through a tangle of red strands as he paced back a few steps.

"You know nothing." he exhaled, exasperated.

Lee frowned, massaging his wrist with his free hand. "And I suppose you know everything?"

"No." Gaara waltzed beside Lee, and closed in on his personal space. His hands were spread on either side of Lee's frame, but Lee did not feel threatened. He actually seemed anxious, expectant even.

"There's still one thing I don't know."

Lee stared at the redhead uneasily, but Gaara's eyes were intent on making him feel uncomfortable.

"There was a man who visited you yesterday. What did you say to him?"

Lee opened his mouth, and then shut it abruptly.

"That is none of your business."

"It has everything to do with me being here today."

Lee never once shifted his attention from Gaara's captive gaze. He thoughtfully glazed a finger on his chapped lips. An answer was brewing within him.

"What does it mean to be alive when there is nothing to live for? Even though I am sitting here breathing," he lifted a hand to the window and let it slide down, ink smearing the glass. "It is like I am dead at the same time…"

_Lee Rock_ was now a squiggly sketch of blue running down the window like watered mascara.

Gaara bowed his head down with his fist clenched tightly into the fabric of Lee's comforter. This Lee…was more of a ghost than anything.

He was Lee's Saturday today, but he wanted to be Lee's Sunday..his Monday, his Tuesday, his Wednesday, his Thursday and his Friday. He wanted to be there. He wanted to know. He needed to know.

_Who is Lee Rock? _

But he's been staring directly at him all this time. This is Lee. This being has always been the real Lee. Gaara was just too conceited to notice until now. The Lee at school was a liar, but the Lee here was raw with truth. This was Lee's real persona.

Gaara wasn't all that interested in shattering him anymore. What's to break when there's nothing to work with? He'd have to build him up from scratch, but once he accomplishes that, he was going to make sure Lee remembered him. And not with some stupid note either.

"Excuse me? Sir?" Gaara casually backed out of Lee's bubble of privacy and slid his hands into his jean pockets.

"I'm afraid you have to leave, visiting hours have been over for nearly twelve minutes now…"

Gaara nodded at the nurse in Lee's doorway. She was the one from yesterday…

Gaara came to a halt in the doorway and stole a peek over his shoulder at Lee. But the boy was back to staring his reflection down with an abandoned look in his eyes.

"I'll be here tomorrow."Gaara called behind him, but got no reply from Lee.

On that note, he was gone, down the hall, signing out. Leaving. Next time he'd arrive at the earliest time offered, 10:00am sharp. He was hungry for more answers, and Lee had all of them. But first he'd need to find the questions to ask. First Question:

_What's wrong with you?_

He'd have his answer tomorrow.


	4. Being Sunday

**Being Sunday**

He couldn't believe he woke up early on a Sunday. He set his alarm for 9:15 A.M., yet here he lay with his eyes wide and alert at 8:07 A.M. Gaara tried to will himself back to sleep but that was impossible. When he was awake, he was wired.

He started his morning by sliding off his comfy mattress, dragging his feet against warm carpet, and sluggishly began to make his way into the kitchen. He jerked the freezer door open from the bottom of the fridge and lazily fished around for the zipped up coffee grinds.

Yes, he refrigerated his coffee. After all, he wasn't made out of money. Well, not anymore.

His father had grown tired of his mile long middle school record of delinquency, so he sent Gaara off to live by himself at the start of his high school years. It was a way of extreme discipline for Gaara, but he was glad for it. Gaara hated all the private schools his father ever sent him to. He remembered in the sixth grade at Rochester Elms how he flushed an apple bomb down a teacher's lounge toilet and blew up the plumbing system. It was amazing, the explosion that is. Somewhere deep inside the working of the pipes, he actually heard a gurgled _BLAM!_ The toilet water bubbled like acid and then, from its inner depths, shot out a huge gauzier of sewage. It was astounding what one could learn in chemistry, and because of Gaara's discovery, he was expelled in the same day.

In the seventh grade at Helmington Gates, he was in P.E., and with a small travel sized bottle of Axe shampoo, he doused a baked patch of grass with the goo and lit it with his lighter. In a matter of seconds, the entire soccer field was as hot and blazing as the suns surface. And just like at Rochester Elms, he was expelled. After he exhausted the last private school in the district, his father threatened to send him to Suna Academy. His father, however, was bluffing. With his position as the head designer of Toshiba laptops, he had to uphold his reputation. Despite Gaara's tiresome behavior, he didn't want his son to attend the failing Academy of Suna. So instead, he sent Gaara to a wealthy public school, Konoha High.

His father sends him money monthly, but Gaara uses it sparingly. He was actually quite frugal. Out of the fifteen hundred that his father sent him every month, he only spent about three-hundred and fifty of it (utility bills, gas, and groceries included.) Four hundred thirty-five if he wanted clothes.

Just thinking about that stuff made Gaara uneasy. Reminiscing didn't help with his anger, so he dropped the subject from his mind and returned to his breakfast.

Gaara popped the coffee bag open and took a small whiff of the stuff. A rich aroma filled the kitchen. Gaara relaxed into the smell. He didn't know what it was about coffee that made him feel comfortable, but whatever it was, he loved it. He scooped up three tablespoons of the dark grain, dropped them into the filter, and poured two cups of water in the plastic filter installed in the machine. He pressed a gray button, and after letting his finger go, the button blinked red. The coffee was silently brewing. His glass coffee pitcher fogged up as the pot filled up teasingly slow with deep mocha fluid.

As the coffee rose, he was dazed with thoughts. The dream he had nights before still spooked him, but it was nowhere as creepy as the real Lee. Just the fact that he would be seeing him again today was just… He let a hand drag down his face.

"Man…"he drowned. The coffee maker beeped, signaling that it was done. Gaara made himself a mug, no creamer added, just two teaspoons of sugar. He liked his coffee black. He took a quick sip before placing his mug down on the counter. He would enjoy the rest of it after he got freshened up.

~o0o~

After brushing his teeth and showering, his time was trickling away. He had twenty minutes to get dressed, gulp down his coffee, and make it out the house if he wanted to get to the hospital right when it opened. Why he was so anxious to get to the hospital early? Well, that was Lee's fault. Once Gaara's curiosity had been peaked, he would never rest until he was satisfied with answers. It was like being infected with a never ending poison. In Lee's case…he had a lot of problem solving to do. Just what was wrong with the guy? He spoke like some gothic poet and regarded his life as a meaningless waste of time. Gaara couldn't help but think that he was the cause to Lee's depression, yet…how could that be? Lee didn't even _know_ who he was. What memories could he possibly have that would make him so dark toward the world? The comment he made to Lee when he first awoke couldn't have done that much damage…right?

In thinking all of this, Gaara had showered and dried himself. Entering his room, he dressed himself up with a short sliver chain around his neck, a white quarter-sleeved v-neck, some faded black skinny jeans with white paint splatters inked across the fabric (they were made that way), and threw on some black distressed converse. Jogging out of his room, Gaara spotted his black sport watch on his art desk. Quickly enough, he scooped it up and strapped it on his wrist. In doing this, he saw that he had no time to enjoy his cup of Roast Pecan… Passing the kitchen, Gaara snuck in a good three gulps of the caffeine. He dropped the mug off on the counter where his Harley keys were. He picked up the jingling metal and was out the door of his apartment.

Again, he left the door unlocked.

His Harley, how he loved the thing, but putting gas in it was really eating his pocket. Today he would walk to the hospital. It would only take a good thirty minutes. He could use the exercise, not that he needed it though, in fact, he was athletic, not muscular, but he was lean. He had a nice build, broad shoulders, faint structure of abs that are flat and hard... The redhead has been told that he was handsome, but he let that kind of stuff slip his conscious. He didn't care. Besides, he looked just like his father. What was there to be proud of? Gaara dropped the thought. He was supposed to be on a relaxing walk. _Relaxing._

Tilting his chin up, he studied the morning sky. Tangerine orange bled into the icy blue sky, clouds hung heavy behind buildings and crowning trees, the air was chill and sweet… It was the coming of autumn. So beautiful... Maybe he'd sketch it when he got home?

There weren't many cars on the road, and not many people were marching along the sidewalk either. Sunday was a non-working day and people usually chose to sleep in. Well, people were either doing that or worshiping at church services.

Gaara let the breeze kiss his exposed arms, neck, and lips. It felt refreshing, renewing even. Before long, the scrape of concrete had a smooth feel to it, the air fell faint, and the scenery was bleak. He realized that he was walking across the hospital parking lot, and that the building in front of him was the ER sector… Gaara slouched the slightest bit, shoved his hands in his pockets, and skulked along the grounds and up to the glass entryway. The feel of Sunday has never felt so intimidating. The glass doors parted, and as he made his way toward the sign-in center, the peace he felt when he was outside had left him abruptly. Gaara was as empty as a factory built coffin, shipped and ready to be occupied.

The girl from yesterday was gone. He guessed that she was off on Sundays. The one at the desk today however, was a nurse he recognized from the first time he visited Lee. As soon as her ebony eyes met his, they narrowed and her automatic smile fell into a line.

"Here to see Lee?" she said flatly, scribbling Lee's room number on the pad Gaara was supposed to sign. Gaara nodded, he didn't dare to speak. She knew what he did, or at least she could infer. She slid the clipboard to him slowly. Handing him a pen, Gaara grabbed it, but she did not let go.

Her eyes found his. Her glare was no more. Only suppressed worry spread across her face.

"He has no one else. Please…" her eyes appeared glassy and sorrowful, but her soft voice held the sound of hope, "be kind to him. It's the least you can do." She let go of the pen, held Gaara's eyes for a moment more, and then went back to her computer duties. Gaara swallowed hard as he signed his name in. Placing the pen neatly to the side, he gave a bow, his first courtesy ever, and mumbled a, "Yes, ma'am." And quickly straightened up and sped walk down the corridor toward Lee's room. Although he'd only been to Suna Methodist twice, his feet had the layout to Lee's room memorized. This time, his fingers didn't freeze up on him when he gripped the knob. He spun it quietly, as if to act invisible. Upon opening the door, the room didn't seem as bleak and dreary since sunshine was peering through Lee's window.

Lee was sound asleep. Sunlight drew streaks across Lee's upper half, painting him like a tiger. His arms sat on top of the white blanket and his head was shifted softly, ebony bangs brushed against his eyelashes… Have his eyelashes always been so long? They cast shadows on their own, right on his cheeks. His chest rose and fell in time with every small breath he took. Bruises from the day before didn't seem so black and threatening. With the acceptation of the IV needle in the crook of his arm and the cast on his left foot, Lee looked like Lee.

It was all so peaceful, but Gaara knew that this display would end, and the haunting reality of Lee's condition would paint the room black, just like his dream. Once Lee's eyes were open…there would be no escaping Lee's questioning gaze.

Gaara took a seat in the worn cushion next to Lee's bed. As soon as his weight settled, his body relaxed completely. He didn't know how tired he was…all that walking really took its toll. After about two minutes of sitting, Gaara's feet began to sizzle.

Great, his body was having functioning lags.

He stared at Lee's sleeping form. Today he didn't look so dead.

Unconsciously, he reached out to touch the boys pale cheek, but right before he could glaze the bruised skin, Lee's voice rasped out a rough, "I am not asleep." Gaara quickly yanked his hand back, crazy embarrassed that he had almost touched Lee…no, had been _caught_ trying to touch him!

Lee rose from the sheets with a dreamy demeanor on his face. He rubbed his eyes, which surprisingly, held no grit. Letting his arms drop onto the sheets he blinked a few times, and then peaked out the blinds. "Unnn….." Lee drowned. He rubbed the sun from his eyes. Gaara blinked, and then narrowed his eyes at the boy. Lee didn't seem the least bit interested or worried about his company. Matter-of-fact, he was rather nonchalant about having any. Gaara cleared his throated loudly, this got Lee's attention, well, somewhat. Lee took the time to pull the shades up, letting the sun paint his room with golden hues. For the first time, Lee smiled, and not that big goofy smile he showed off at school. It was a small curve of the lips, a tiny show of contempt. It looked healthy on him, a major improvement from the awkward zoned-out face he possessed just days ago.

Lee glanced at Gaara, ran him over with his eyes, and then quirked a massive eyebrow, "It is just the hospital. Why are you all fancied up?" There was a hint of a laugh in his voice, but Gaara could care less. Gaara looked himself over, somewhat offended. And here he thought he looked awesome.

"Yeah? What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"He said. Lee answered with a delicate smile.

"Nothing wrong with it, just…kind of strange to dress up for someone you hate, you know?" Gaara could feel a small pain in his chest. He discreetly ran his hand over the area, and then grabbed at his shoulder. Damn…he's been having a lot of those pains lately. What is it? Every time a classmate, teacher, or stranger gives him that _look _a pain comes. Never has it been this sharp before. Only Lee was able to inflict this kind of pain on him… Gaara shrugged at the question. He didn't know how to answer it. He didn't like Lee, that's for sure. He dressed up because…he felt like it? Yeah. That was it. Even with these answers on the ready, he couldn't say them. Gaara hated lies, and he sure as hell wasn't about to start spouting any. Not that his words _are_ lies, he just didn't feel like saying something he wasn't too sure about…

Even though he had two pillows propped behind his back, one under his arm, and a suspended wire that helped steady his casted left leg, there wasn't much comfort in Lee's position... He shifted himself to actually look at Gaara properly, but the flinch in his arms by doing so did not go unnoticed. Gaara absently threw a hand out, motioning for Lee to stop.

"You're still sore, Lee. Don't move so suddenly." He didn't intend to get in the way of Lee's stupidity, but seeing Lee so fragile…it was like watching a glass shard drop. No matter how pissed he was, he couldn't dismiss Lee's injured state.

Lee stared at Gaara with wide eyes.

"Excuse me?" A smile cut his still expression and his eyes flashed with laughter, "Do I hear concern?" Gaara scowled.

"It wouldn't sound that way if you would just-," Gaara pressed a palm to Lee's shaky chest, and shoved him back hard into his mountain of pillows, "lay back down. Do you have some kind of death wish? Didn't the doctor-"

"Nurse." Lee interrupted with one finger up matter-of-factly.

"Nurse-doctor-whatever, tell you to rest?" Gaara was surprised at how much he was talking, but at the same time, he felt like a great weight of questions was being lifted off of his shoulders.

Lee shrugged, "Yeah, but I was in a coma for nearly two months…" He looked into Gaara's face, his smile gone, and his stare gray, "All I have been doing _is_ resting. I kind of…I mean…I just…" Lee gave Gaara's converse a look, and then his cast. His expression dulled.

"I want to _run_."

Lee had his head leaned back on his pillows, his chin up, and his eyes on his suspended leg. He glanced over at the window longingly. The light from the sun was fading in and out from behind nature and clouds.

Gaara stared at Lee.

"Track." Gaara blurted out. Lee looked at Gaara and blinked. "Huh?"

Lee ran on the Cross Country team for Konoha High. That was one thing Gaara could admire about the guy. He was fast, _really_ fast. Like, how could such a lanky, nerdy, kid like Lee be so great at something? Something _inspiring_.

If anything, Lee was impressive with speed. Perhaps there should be a logo for people like that: _Not All Geeks Are Talentless Nobodies. _

Gaara leaned back into his seat, studying Lee's question mark of a face.

"Track." He repeated. "You were really good at it."

Lee's expression did not change. He looked away from Gaara and back to the window. Never has Gaara seen someone look so defeated.

Gaara shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What now? What was he suppose to ask Lee now? The guy was obviously back in his own delirium. After about six minutes of Lee staring outside, Gaara couldn't take the silence. He let words escape him as he thought them, "So…um, what do you do…in the Hospital…now that you're awake?"

"Eat and read." Lee said, not once looking away from the quiet dancing trees outside.

"Sounds boring."

"It is."

Silence.

_God damn. _They had absolutely nothing to talk about! Gaara wanted to ask Lee what his diagnosis was, but was unsure if the boy even knew the answer to _that_. And then Lee spoke.

"I…was good at track?" Lee said it as if he didn't know the meaning of the words. "I do not have any memory of it. Running. I do not remember running…ever." Lee's voice was curling in on itself, getting softer and softer, like a whisper transforming into an inner thought.

Gaara reframed from commenting on the subject. Instead, he guessed Lee's aliment.

"Amnesia?" Lee's shoulders stiffened at the word. This confirmed Gaara's suspicions, but… Knowing Lee's real issue didn't make Gaara feel triumphant, or even informed. Knowing that Lee had Amnesia only showed Gaara just how lost he truly was in his reasoning for visiting Suna Methodist. For school. For _everything_. He only went to school because Lee was there. He knew he'd have Lee to mess with. To push into the earth. To kick below his feet. He had Lee to feel the same pain he felt. Lee was his reason for staying in Konoha. But that Lee was a liar. So here he was, with nothing to hold onto. No one was feeling his pain. No one was under his control.

_What was he to do now?_

"Hey."

Gaara looked up to find Lee staring straight at him. Big onyx eyes, full of vexation, intimidated him. Scared him even.

"Who told you to visit me?"

Gaara was too disoriented in thought to comprehend what Lee had just said. He answered the best he could with an intelligent, "Huh?"

"Who. Told. You. To. Visit. Me." Lee said each word louder than the last for emphasis.

Gaara understood what was said this time, but still had no words to respond back with. How did Lee know? Gai couldn't have told… Gai was too sweet to break Lee's hopes like that. Gaara was a cruel and hard person, but even he knew not to mess with the mentally unstable.

"No one…I wanted…to…visit you."

"Why?"

"…I don't know."

Lee went back to looking out his window. A slacken expression taking over his features. The quiet stretched over them like a blanket. Gaara began counting the minutes, but after sixteen, he gave up and tuned into Lee's small breaths. _Is it that quiet?_

Lee finally looked at Gaara after what felt like eons. His mouth was a line and his eyes were blank, staring, but at nothing in particular.

"Leave." He said. His voice was hollow. _Hiding in a black hole._

Gaara snapped a glare at Lee.

"What?" He said, disbelieving.

"Leave."

Gaara was taken back a bit. Lee's voice held no emotion and was as blunt as a bat. No hesitation in his words whatsoever. Gaara has never been so offended in his life.

"Why?" Gaara demanded, frustrated now. What was Lee mad about? He should be glad that someone was visiting, whether they were told to do so or not!

Lee smiled.

It was the saddest smile he had ever seen.

"You do not like me." Lee shrugged. "You do not try to start conversation. You just do not _care_. There is no way you are here on your own." Lee stared Gaara right in the eyes.

Darkness. It was everywhere, surrounding him, suffocating him. Slowly, he was spiraling down into a pit of the emptiness. _Down, down, down into the blackness. _

Gaara wanted to run. He just wanted to get up and run. But he couldn't move. His feet were glued to the tile flooring. His eyes were wide open and he didn't dare blink. What was this feeling? This clenching of the stomach? This heating in his palms and chest? What was Lee _doing_ to him?

Lee's mouth opened, but before anything could come out, Gaara was up and out of his chair, twisting around the back of his seat, and making a mad dash for the door, but a small grip caught him in mid twist. Twirling around the back of his seat, his eyes glanced over his shoulder to discover a bandaged fist balled in his white sleeve. A weight made him crash to the floor. Thousands of noises screamed around him. Wire snapping, sheets stretching, tubes popping.

Gaara groaned upon opening his eyes. Lee. Lee was on top of him. A purple cheek was squashed to his chest, two bandaged arms were folded around his elbow, a leg was exposed to the thigh, and another was stiff and straight, the cast ripped down the side, both limbs in the process of slipping off the bed.

Blood. There was blood on his shirt.

"Mn…unh…"Lee's groan was a cross between a low wail and moan. Lee brought his face up, a dazed look clouding his eyes. Gaara's eyes grew wide. Reality was finally closing in on him. Lee was bleeding. _Bleeding!_

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit!" Gaara quickly hooked his arms under Lee's chest and rolled him over. Lee scrunched his face up in pain. "God…god…." Gaara said. He scooped one hand behind Lee's back, and another under his knees and lifted him up in one quick movement.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Lee gasped. He elbowed Gaara in the chest. "Stop! Put me down! You will only make it wors—Ahh!" Gaara dropped Lee onto the hospital bed hard, so hard that Lee's casted leg bobbed up and down twice. The wire that had been supporting it had snapped during their fall.

"Ohhh! You…you!" Lee shrieked, anguish and anger registering in his tone. "How could you just…you are…unbelievable! You crazy coward! I—mumph!"

Gaara strapped a palm to Lee's mouth, muffling his screams.

"Shhh! I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. Just, please, just…" Gaara's arms were shaking uncontrollably, so much so that some of Lee's cries escaped between his fingers.

Functioning lag. His body was having god damn functioning lag. Now of all times, why did he have to be so weak? Why did he have to be so scared. _Really_ scared. Lee fell and busted his bottom lip all because he tried to run away. _You crazy coward!_

Lee seemed to know everything without knowing anything. A guy who didn't even remember his bully, a guy who didn't remember his perky mannerisms, a guy who didn't even remember the only man who cared about him. This guy with an empty memory knew everything about Gaara. That look Lee gave him... It was all seeing.

Gaara's arms were shaking so bad, he wanted to chop them off, but he was too drained to be upset anymore. He made a mess of Lee's life. This was his problem. And he needed to fix it. He needed to fix it now.

"Lee."

Lee's voice was raspy from yelling. He glared at Gaara, sucking in breath as he massaged his casted foot.

"You're right."

Lee narrowed his eyes at the boy. "I do not care what you say, I want you gone. Leave…" Gaara moved not one muscle. "Leave!" Gaara shook his head.

Lee gripped a handful of ruffled sheets in frustration.

"Leave, leave, leave, leave_, leave_!"

"I can't do that."

Lee's eyebrows were sharp checks, but his lip was crumbling. He tucked his chin into his neck and let out a guttural sob. They were defeated tears.

"Please…just go away."

Gaara's mission…he knew what it was now. He didn't come to the hospital that day for confirmation on Lee's aliment. He just wanted to see him. He needed to know if his reason for going to Konoha was going to come back. Gaara didn't want Lee to be under his control, he didn't care about dominance anymore. He just wanted this nightmare to be over. He wanted Lee to stop haunting him. He didn't like Lee, but he didn't hate him. Not now. Not when he really needed someone to be strong for him. Gaara could do it. Gaara could be Lee's Sunday today. He could be Lee's everything right now. If this nightmare, if this tension is to go away, Gaara has no choice but to play this role for Lee.

"You're right. I'm a coward, Lee. I know that…" Gaara's brows furrowed and he closed his eyes tight. He curled his fingers into fists, "No, I _knew_ that," He looked into Lee's confused, tear-stricken face, "I just…I need you…to help me…help you. Understand?" Lee's face was blank and confused, but he said nothing against Gaara's statement.

"I'm not here because someone told me to, I'm not here because I'm expected to, but I'm here because I _need _to be here. I'm here because I _have _to be. I didn't do this to you…" Gaara reached a hand out to Lee's bruised cheek, but let his hand fall before he managed to touch it. He brought his hand to his side, his eyes sharp with shame and guilt. "But…It doesn't matter. It shouldn't have happened to you. I'm not…going…to let…anything happen to you…anymore." He glanced up to catch Lee's eyes. They were wide, not with shock, but with suspicious curiosity.

"You know more than you think, Lee. You look right through…_everything_. And I…I need…" Gaara shifted his weight, struggling for the words. His mind was saying the right things, all the things he wanted to admit, but he couldn't formulate them into sentences. They were ideas, all jumbled up, but making sense. He literally had to snatch the words piece by piece just to get them to come out of his mouth without tensing up. He knew his explanation wasn't great, or making any sense…well, okay, it just sucked. But even though he knew Lee couldn't understand it now, he needed to say these words.

"I need you, more than you need me, Lee. Help me figure out me, and help me help you, figure you out."

There. Done. Even though his explanation was bundled up and spat out from the brain, he knew what he said was correct.

Lee was staring at him. Really staring.

Gaara stood so long waiting on Lee's reply that the balls of his feet began to ache. He was really fighting the urge to make pained faces. And then, as if on cue, Lee let out a long breath, a breath he had probably been holding in from the very start of Gaara's explanation.

"You are a selfish coward."He said tiredly.

Gaara's body stiffened.

"But so am I…" Gaara let his body relax, and fell back into his cushion lazily. Lee glanced down at his ripped cast and made a face. He gently began to massage his knee, which was becoming red from swelling. "I…do not care what you do. I do not mind if you stay…" He then looked at Gaara expectantly, "Be of some use, please? Get the nurse…ah…ah!" Lee bowed his head in pain, his leg trembling. "Ohhh…"

Gaara got to his feet and quickly paced the floor, all the way to the information desk. The nurse that signed him in was gone, and in her place was a volunteer he didn't recognize, not that it mattered. He'd be visiting Lee daily anyway. By the time Lee gets better, he'll know all the faces of Suna Methodist, and they'll know his. He asked the teenage boy for a nurse pronto, and the boy made a dial to the ER sector, asking for spare nurses. He hung up and said that two nurses were immediately on their way to the patient's floor. Gaara stayed by the information desk until the nurses arrived. He explained that Lee fell out of his bed and that he was in need of a new cast, tubing, and disinfectant for his lip. The nurses were a bit exasperated and disappointed about the news. They advised Gaara to head home since Lee would perhaps need another check up by the doctor soon and that they would be running tests on him throughout the afternoon. Gaara knew he couldn't talk his way into staying, because when nurses _advised_ stuff, they actually expected to be listened to.

For the second time that day, Gaara gave a traditional bow of courtesy to the nurses, asking them to give a good-bye message to Lee, "I'll see him tomorrow afternoon..." a light flipped on in his head, "And tell him I'll bring a present." And with that, Gaara was escorted out by the volunteer.

The weather picked up a bit. It was very breezy and the strong scent of dew was in the air. Unfortunately, it was most likely going to rain. Gaara hated the rain, but oddly enough, he didn't mind the rain today. If the drizzle were to catch him on his way to his apartment, he would take it in, and bathe in the sky's tears. The thought of being cleansed was refreshing….

He could do this…

He was Lee's yesterday.

He was Lee's today.

And he would be Lee's tomorrow, and the days that followed. For once, he wasn't lost, he actually knew, no, was certain, that things would get better.

He could feel it in the autumn air.

Lee was never going to forget him. He would make sure of it.

**AN: God! I finally finished it~ x.X Tell me what you think :D ( I didn't get rusty after my absence right?)**


	5. Being Monday: Entering Friendship

**Being Monday**

**Entering: Friendship**

Walking about the school's hallway felt foreign to him. After days of skipping most of his classes, being around his classmates, whether in the hall, by the lockers, or in the bathrooms, he felt out of place. It was as if he were a real alien...

Upon seeing him, some students would duck their face and tuck it into their chests as if ashamed, but Gaara knew better. They were all afraid of him.

"Is he a new student?"

"…Oh…"

"You don't know?"

"That's Sabaku, the-"

Gaara blocked the rumors automatically. He didn't feel their weight. Ever. They were just words. Most of the rumors were hideously over-exaggerated. The time he came to school with his Harley students cowered from his sight, but they still had a sort of 'awe' struck expression when they saw him.

"He jacked up a mafia boss for that sweet ride."

"What? That's stupid! He got it by hotwiring it out of the Konohagure mall parking lot!"

"That's not what I heard. That guy-"

It was all complete nonsense. His father got it for him as a, "I'm-glad-you're-moving-to-the-city-and-getting-out-of-my-life-" gift. As much as the rumors annoyed him, he didn't go out of his way to change people's opinions of him. In fact…he liked being feared. Fear gave him control…_power_. He had the most control over students, Lee especially, but as of right now…Lee was no longer his punching bag.

* * *

Gaara made his way to Calculus for the first time in days. The students took a double take and the teacher presiding over the class coughed, erasing the "absent" mark on the role sheet. The red head took a seat in the back next to a blond haired boy who was, at the moment, drooling over a desk, snoring lightly. A brunette walked on shaky legs toward her seat, but upon seeing how it was occupied by a fearsome red head, she quickly reversed her steps and found another empty seat in the middle row. Gaara blinked, not at all fooled by her attempt to look unnerved by her seat being taken. Had she simply said, "Hey, that's my seat" he would have moved.

Not that anyone would assume that course of action from him.

The teacher preached his lesson somewhat nervously, but after a few minutes of awkward stuttering, he fell back in his normal rhythm of teaching. Gaara listened for about ten minutes before realizing that the information being taught was a mere review of what he already understood. He didn't get why people found Math hard…it was so _simple_.

He looked at the blond boy beside him and frowned. The sleeping figure's hair was stylized in gelled up spikes. His cheeks appeared to have three lines that looked to be…cat whiskers? Gaara focused his eyes and discovered that the 'whiskers' were actually jagged scratches. In other words…

Scars.

And with their deepened brown tint they had to have been really _deep_ cuts. Gaara placed his chin in his hand and sighed lowly.

He would have skipped class and went to the art room, but lately…he's been prone to thinking too deeply about Lee. In the art room…all his thoughts seemed to bounce all around the walls. Yelling at him.

Gaara locked his fingers together and contemplated on whether or not he would go to Physics.

Before he could come to a decision though, a gurgled yawn disrupted him.

"Uhhnngh…shit." The blond boy was conscious now. How conscious? Well, that was still a mystery. The boy glanced at the red head beside him with a dumb expression. He blinked, and then snorted.

"Who're you? New?"

"…"

"You don't talk?"

"…"

"You're a boring fuck you know that. You're…you're…uh…um…mmmm…"

Gaara grumbled under his breath. Was this idiot talking while still _asleep_ while he was conscious?

…

Did he really just think of something stupid? …That thought a moment ago hadn't made any sense whatsoever.

"Uzumaki? If you would so kindly answer this equation I woul-"

Uzumaki yawned.

"It's 5."

"That's-wait-what?"

"Dunno. Sorry."

The teacher slapped a ruler to the chalkboard, clearly frustrated with the blond's behavior. "Don't just _guess _an answer! Please make an attempt to pay attention next time!"

Uzumaki blinked.

"So…it's not 5?"

As if they had been holding in their gut, the class burst into a chorus of laughter. This only infuriated the teacher. The man's lips twitched and his neck turned a fiery red.

"You can all teach yourselves!" and with that outburst, the teacher stormed out mumbling angry curses under his breath. Gaara's brow rose. His presence was always capable of starting madness. He grinned, humored by the thought of his aura's chaos.

The blond rose from his seat and sighed joyfully, "Ah~well. I guess class is over early!"

A mass of students slowly made their way out of the class, gossiping and laughing with each other over their teacher's 'sensitive' actions. The blond haired boy hunched his back and shoved his hands into his uniform pockets and made his way toward the only window in the classroom. It wasn't a big window, but it was the only one that was rumored not to set off the fire alarm…but then again, who tested to see if that theory was true?

"Oi!"

Gaara pivoted slowly and saw that the blond boy known as Uzumaki was shouting at him.

With a hissed, "_What_", from Gaara, the blond boy grinned.

"Come 'ere. We're gonna jump this fire escape."

Gaara blinked. That had to be…the most exciting thing he'd heard of all week, but he'd be damned if he showed interest.

"Yeah? What for."

"Well…we look the part to do stupid shit, right? Nothing to do here anyway."

The blond boy glanced at the packed doorway. It was so full of his peers and excited gossip that he laughed.

He sat on the windowsill with one foot propped up. Unclasping the locks on the window pane, he pushed the frame up effortlessly and kicked a leg out the window.

Racing over to the windowsill Gaara whispered, "What the hell are you doing, Uzumaki."

The blond's spikes were disappearing from view as he climbed down the fire escape. His voice carried up to Gaara as well as the wind.

"I'm gonna take a leak. You comin' or what?"

Gaara never thought he'd hesitate in front of anyone but Lee, but here he was battling himself inwardly again.

_Go ahead. Don't do it. Just jump! He's an idiot. Have some fun. Go to Physics. Smoke. You're better than this. No you're not._

Gaara betrayed himself with that last thought.

Out the window he went. And down the fire escape he goes.

* * *

"Ahhh~yeah. This is just what I needed!" With a lit cigarette in-between his lips, the blond grinned ear to ear. Gaara on the other hand was anything but happy.

"I thought you were taking a leak, not a smoke."

Uzumaki waved off the red head's complaint.

"Meh. The feeling went away. Besides", he slipped his hand into his pocket and fished out a fresh cancer stick, "Who doesn't need a smoke after that douchey teacher's performance?"

Gaara refused with a lazy wave of his hand.

Uzumaki scrunched up his nose.

"Oh~so you're a good boy? What a-"

"No. I only smoke Lucky Stars, not Methanol." Gaara fetched his own cigarette, but when the blond didn't pass him the lighter, he smacked his lips and pulled out the silver one from his uniform pocket.

"Hey, hey! I'll light it for you, man…" he flicked back the cap to his lighter, the cap in-question being a naked porn star's head. With the head flipped back, the nipple piece to the woman's boob lit a blue-white flame. Gaara smirked, shaking his head. This guy was pretty humorous. He could get used to this kid.

They sat on a demolished stair step made of broken brick a few feet away from the fire escape they had climbed down. The school was having construction done on the science wing. Apparently, Konoha High wanted separate rooms for lab work, but the construction had been put on hold because Fall was settling in. No one called it the construction site though. Students called it 'Smokers Lot' for obvious reasons. In the dirt packed earth cigarette butts littered the Lot with orange.

After a moment of relaxing in the haze of their smoke pollution, Uzumaki spoke up.

"Hey…we should do this more often."

Gaara "_Hn_"ed that.

Uzumaki threw an arm over Gaara's shoulder, rocking the red head as he snorted, "I think we could be friends, you and I. Even though you seem like a tight-ass, you're not that bad. I like you! Say…what'd you say your name was? Red?"

Shrugging off the blond's arm, he answered with a cool, "Gaara."

The blond smirked at that, "Yeah? That's a dangerous sounding name you got there. Mine is Naruto. Don't forget it!"

Gaara blinked.

"…"

"What?"

"Are you being serious?"

"Yep. It's on my birth certificate."

Gaara looked off in the distance to distract himself, but he couldn't prevent the snort that escaped his lips.

Naruto twisted around, his face stretched by a fat smile.

"It's pretty awful ain't it? Go ahead. Laugh it up. And by the way, _fuck _you too."

Gaara gave a smile, but that broke into chuckling. Naruto took a long drag of his cigarette, smoke escaping from his nostrils as he breathed. All the while, Naruto kept smiling.

* * *

The school bell buzzed while Gaara crushed his cigarette with his Vanz shoe.

"There goes Physics."

Naruto quirked his head at that, "Physics? You must be hella smart for that shit."

Gaara shrugged, "I hardly ever show up."

Shaking his head, the blond grinned.

Gaara was disturbed by Naruto's ability to laugh stuff off…but if there was something to be afraid of, it was his smile. The way it stretched across his face…it was kind of _fox_-like.

"Naruto."

Said boy inclined his head to Gaara.

"Yeah, man?"

"What class do you have after this?"

"Does it matter? I ain't going if that's what you're askin'."

Gaara shrugged his shoulders.

"Just a question."

Naruto hopped up on the brick wall surrounding the construction site. He put his hands out for balance and started tight-rope walking.

"Where do you get the energy?"

"Economics." Naruto blurted.

"…What does that have to do with-"

"I was answering your question. My next class is Economics…"

Gaara rubbed the back of his neck, readying his next question.

"Hey…is there a 'Lee' in that class?"

Naruto put his focused walking on pause.

"Lee…?" He took a few more steps and then paused again. He finally shook his head and continued in his steps, "Sorry, I don't really know people by their names. I go by characteristics. Life is fun that way."

Gaara wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't.

"Lee's got frog eyes, an 'm' for a mouth, and rectangular-"

"Bushybrows?"

"…I guess…"

Naruto came to a fat halt.

"I know that guy! I only went to Economics to poke fun at him. He never got mad though…I guess that's why it was fun to go to class."

_Poke fun…_

"Strange guy…even though he was really easy-going, he seemed out of it all the time, y'know?" Naruto stopped his circus walk and crouched down with his feet perfectly aligned on the brick fence. His hands were lazily resting on his bunched up knees as he spoke.

"That guy couldn't pay attention for shit, and the teacher was always on his ass about stuff. He took away my 'class clown' title, y'know? It was a real pain, so I started skippin'." Naruto sat a minute, probably waiting on Gaara to digest what he was saying, but the red head stood statue-still, glaring back at him…or rather…glaring at space.

"Oi..? You okay?" Naruto reached out a hand to Gaara's shoulder, but Gaara shook his head.

"Yeah…yeah. I'm fine. So…have you been back? To Economics I mean."

The blond scratched the back of his head and stared at the sky for a moment.

"Mmm….maybe? Two week or so ago?"

Swallowing, Gaara raised another question, "Was Lee in class?"

"Actually…"Naruto shut his eyes slowly. His brow twitched with concentration as he stood up right thinking back on his time in Economics. Gaara could actually understand what people meant when they said that they could _see gears turning_. Right now, Gaara could see the steam coming out of Naruto's ears. It was like he was chasing a far off memory and was trying to recall the imagery.

"…No." Naruto opened his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Nope. Lee was absent. I remember because I walked into Eco and he wasn't there. I left before the teacher could show up to scold me for skippin'."

Gaara nodded in understanding. Before he could change the subject matter Naruto beat him to the punch.

Squinting at the red head, the blond started sizing Gaara up,"Why're you so interested in what Lee does now, huh? I didn't know he had a frien-"

"I'm _not_ his friend. I was just curious, okay? Drop it."

Naruto threw his hands up in mock surrender. Rolling his eyes he sarcastically said, "_Whoa._ Sorry, ma'am_. _Don't get so sensitive."

"Yeah. Whatever."

Naruto huffed, "Jesus! You're the one who asked! I'm almost pisse-HEY! Don't walk away!" Hopping off the brick fence, he raced after Gaara's retreating back.

"What the hell, Gaara! Stop movin'!" And to his surprise, Gaara did just that. Naruto nearly crashed into the red head's back but he caught himself right before the collision could happen.

Throwing out his hand in a fit, Naruto growled "Hey! What was that? I didn't think you were the type to bitch about shit. What's eating you, huh?"

Turning around, Gaara faced Naruto and said, "I know why he's not at school anymore."

Naruto eyed the red head suspiciously.

"Yeah, so? What's his deal? You gonna tell me or you just gonna stand there lookin' like a creep."

Gaara's expression darkened as he grimaced.

Naruto ran his hands into his gelled spikes, obviously thinking the worst possible reason for Lee's absence.

"You freak! He's not buried in your basement or something is he!"

"No, you dick." Gaara growled, "He's at the hospital. He's been there for nearly three months."

Naruto had a cocky grin on his face, but after what Gaara just said, he was caught off guard.

Frowning, Naruto scratched the back of his neck, "…How bad are we talking? If it's not Cancer, then it can't be that serio-"

"He was mugged."

Naruto blinked.

"Wh-wait! A muggin'…in Konohagure? Pure, innocent, _Konohagure?_"

"You know…well…I mean…actually I don't know the details-" Gaara shook his head, "Look! The point is: Lee was beat up."

Strangely enough, Naruto almost looked _relieved _at this information.

"Well, when you walk around looking like Lee anything could happen. So, wait…why's he in the hospital? He can't just slap on a few band-aids?"

Gaara shrugged, "That's what I was thinking when I first heard it."

"So? That's all?"

Staring off at the brick wall, Gaara blinked.

"No."

A few minutes passed. Gaara said nothing else.

Naruto walked up beside Gaara and patted him on the shoulder.

"Look, I'll stop spazzing out. Just tell me what you want me to know."

"The beating put him in a coma and-"

"A co-coma? Seriously! That's like-"

"And then he woke up with severe Amnesia and-"

"Amnesia…_Amnesia_ amnesia? Like the game-"

"He couldn't even recall his own name. He didn't even know the people closest to him. He didn't even…"

_He didn't even know me…_

After that, all Naruto could say was, "_Wow_."

A few minutes ticked by and another class bell buzzed. Still silence.

Naruto took out another cigarette. He tried to light it but his hand kept shaking, so he threw his cigarette down.

"Dammit…I feel like a douche for talking shit about the guy."

He looked to Gaara.

"Say…how did you know all that? And how come the school doesn't know anything about Lee's condition?"

Gaara began to walk off in the direction of the parking lot. Naruto followed, yelling after him to slow down. Gaara stopped and waited for Naruto to catch up to his back before saying, "I'm going to visit him…You coming?"

Naruto breathed out a, "Wha…oh…yeah. Yeah! I wanna talk to him…an' tell 'em that…that he's tough shit."

Nodding, Gaara agreed.

Yes.

Tough shit.

That's what Lee was.

* * *

Naruto had sat behind Gaara on the passenger seat of the red head's Harley. Barely having skid into a parking space, Naruto leapt off the ride and began running up the Methodist sidewalk. A few seconds later, Gaara was close behind. Naruto raced to the door not knowing that they were automatic, and smacked into the glass with his full weight. The force of the collision made him bounce off the glass. Dizzily, he waited like a normal person and watched the doors slide apart. Gaara was right behind him, shaking his head.

Even though he admired Naruto's ability to make friends, the guy, no matter how humorous or caring, was a downright moron.

Still, Naruto was a friend...

_My only friend…_

Together they quick walked to the information desk where a brunette girl sat. It was the same volunteer girl from the last time Gaara visited. He inwardly sighed.

Upon approach, the girl looked up from her desk work, and upon seeing the fiery haired boy she recognized to be a stud, her cheeks flushed pink instantly.

When they made it to the desk, she murmured a, "M-may I help you?"

Naruto was quick to answer, and Gaara was too slow to stop him.

"Yeah, we're looking for Lee Rock. What room's he in?"

Gaara grumbled and elbowed Naruto.

"Look, I know the room number. Just take the pen and-"

The brunette's chirpy voice popped up with, "Oh…I'm very sorry. As of yesterday night, all patients diagnosed with um…is it Lee? Okay, Lee's aliment were subjected to treatments from-"

"Wait, what are you trying to say?"Gaara was almost _yelling_. Almost. He wasn't the type to flip shit in public.

The girl pulled up something on her computer, a list of some sort, and skimmed the list silently with her eyes.

"Let's see here….Rock, Lee of 213 is currently…unavailable. Yeah. Yeah, he's being treated-"

"Hey, wait a minute", Naruto interrupted, "This guy and I are classmates of Lee. Apparently, we were allowed to visit yesterday. What's the deal today? He's getting treatment? Big whoop. It's a hospital."

"Well…he's unavailable so he can't have visitors today. That's just how the system is toda-"

"What the hell kind of shit is this?" Naruto blurted. He put his face in the girl's personal space, and while the girl looked to be on the verge of calling help, Naruto looked at the computer screen himself.

ROCK, LEE_#213_CURRENTLY: UNAVAILABLE

"Are you shittin' me? No visitors!"

The girl was clearly unnerved for she was stuttering, "Sir, I'm just d-doing my job. I was told specifically that patients with memory loss were processed as unavailable in the search e-engine."

"Wait."

Gaara calmly asked, "What treatment? Why aren't we allowed to visit? Is the treatment surgery? What are they doing to him? Do you know anything?"

"Look, the details are _classified_. I don't know what's being done. I just work here and say what they tell me to."

The girl was a little red in the face, clearly agitated and probably even scared. Gaara knew to back off, unlike his blond friend.

"Naruto, get out of her face." He looked to the girl and put a hand up in truce.

"Alright. We get it. We'll come and visit him tomorrow."

Right when he forced Naruto to turn around, the girl chirped, "Oh! Um…actually, all patients with Lee's diagnosis won't be available for the rest of the week…" she hesitated in meeting the two boys eyes in front of her, but to her surprise, there was no comeback. Not even from the blond headed fire-breather.

Gaara blinked.

"…I… see." His voice was rather calm compared to the feelings swirling around in his gut. "Well…can we deliver gifts?"

The girl brushed a strand of hair out her face and quietly admitted to that much.

"That's fine."

Gaara then asked, "Do you have a note card that I can borrow?"

The girl blinked, the request was too simple to just flat-out refuse, in short, she didn't argue and handed over the desired 3x5. Gaara gently grasped it from her and clicked his pen on. Naruto, who had been awfully silent for a while became curious and read over Gaara's shoulder.

After scribbling for about a minute or so, Gaara picked the note up to give to the girl, but a quick squeeze to his wrist stopped him.

"Hey, man. Don't just give it to her without giving it to me first. Lemme write something for Lee too."

Gaara was hesitant to let Naruto see what he had written, but…

"…Okay." Gaara placed the note card on the desk with a hand concealing his written portion. He handed the pen to Naruto.

"…Gaara."

"…?"

"Move your hand please."

"Why? I don't want you reading my note."

"Wh-hey! I'm no creep like you."

Gaara shrugged, "I don't see the problem with my hand being here then."

"Ugh! I don't have any arm space~" he whined.

Gaara looked to the volunteer girl at the desk for sarcastic understanding, but instead she looked away. Her ears were turning pink. Gaara quickly looked down at Naruto.

"Hurry so we can leave."he whispered.

"Okay, okay! Just one… more…word...done! And we're out of here." Naruto yanked up the note from under Gaara's hand and tried his best to skim the words Gaara left behind before having it ripped from his fingers, thrown onto the desk with a, "Deliver this for us. Thanks.", and was then shoved out the door by a very pissed red head.

"Hey, hey! Sorry, okay? I couldn't resist."

Gaara glared fire at Naruto, "This isn't a joke. Lee is sick. Remember that or I won't take you with me next time."

The blond scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…you're right. I wasn't trying to be silly. When I'm nervous and freak out, I automatically become a clown. It's my ultimate defense from reality, y'know?"

"…"

Naruto elbowed the red head, but Gaara wasn't trying to be humored.

"Something isn't right…"He murmured.

The blond stared at him for a minute before saying, what could probably be the smartest thing he said all day, "Does Lee's room have a window?"

* * *

"…"

"…_Whoa._"

"…"

"He looks like…he needs to be in a casket."

"…Yeah."

They were standing outside Lee's hospital window. From their view, they could see Lee's sleeping figure from the side. His skin was pale again, and the air mask was a new accessory. His leg cast was all patched up though, and his busted lip from last time wasn't as swollen as it had been yesterday. Something about Lee's skin…the dull hue of it, and the small rhythmic flow of his heart chart alarmed Gaara.

_He's gotten…worse._

Gaara blinked and looked away. He didn't want to face reality… Why couldn't he just be like Naruto and brush shit off with a laugh? Said by was up against Lee's window like his life depended on it.

"He's really out of it…just laying there. Is he sleeping?...I wonder if he's scared. Oh…"Naruto pressed his forehead to the glass, his hands on either side of the window.

"Oh…_shit_! Hey, Gaara! Snap the hell out of it! Look!"

Gaara whipped his head around and stared into the fragile image that was Lee. He was…_waking _up? But…he was sweating. Gaara could tell because Lee's hospital gown was practically glued to his chest and wouldn't budge when he tossed and turned. Lee…was he _sick_?

"Hey…should we go tell that girl what's up?" Naruto mumbled. Although he was being sarcastic, Gaara could see the fear on Naruto's brow. He finally understood Lee's condition.

"I don't know."

Lee began to shiver, his face contorted in horror, and then…tears. He was crying. Big wells of sorrow. Lee was crying in his sleep.

Just then, Naruto knocked on the window as if it were a door.

"Hey…_hey!_" he yelled.

Gaara shoved Naruto away from the window, hard enough to make the boy lose his footing and tumble to the ground like a thrown pebble, or a stepped on weed.

"Wha-what was that for!"

Gaara ignored the boy and looked back to Lee through the window, but there was a nurse by his side already. She patted him a few times on the cheek, but when that failed to rouse him, she shook him just hard enough to wake him, but soft enough not to hurt him. Lee's eyes shot open. In a flurry of blinks, he finally registered that the nurse was by his side and cooing him. He had a horrified expression on his face, but just when he was saying something, the nurse was shaking her head at him. She pointed at the food by his side, and a small paper cup with pills beside them. He downed the water and pills first. This seemed to satisfy the woman, and so she left him. Lee placed the food in his lap but didn't touch it. He then stared at him…

Lee was staring at him.

"Hey man! I think he sees-" Gaara yanked Naruto by the wrist, ducking under the window as he did, and raced to the parking lot.

* * *

"Dude…what _was _that? The moment Lee saw us you transformed into James Bond and got us the hell out of there. What're you so afraid of?"

"I just thought he'd throw his food at the window or something."

"Huh?"

"Maybe he's mad that I didn't show up."

"Well…it's not like the staff wouldn't tell him that he couldn't have visitors…right? Maybe he understands?"

Gaara said nothing.

"Um…does he hate you or something?"

"I don't know."

"…Do you hate him, Gaara?"

Gaara placed a hand over his heart…the beat was normal…his breathing was slow…no pain. The pain that only Lee could cause him was gone.

"I don't know." He answered.

"Well…we can't kick ourselves for shit we don't understand…Oi! Drop me off right there. I can walk from here…"

Gaara cruised up to the sidewalk of the beat down apartment complex of Konohagure and let his new friend off.

Naruto saluted Gaara off jokingly, but Gaara was too distant in his thoughts to react to his blond friend.

"…che."

Gaara had zoned out.

"Yeah?"

"Lee might not like you because you act like a douche."

Gaara's blood boiled at that…but then it simmered. He had to admit…he hadn't been the nicest to Lee when he visited...

"Right." He murmured.

Naruto waved Gaara off with a 'Later'.

As Gaara revved up his engine, a proud idiot blared, "DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP! HE'S GOT TO RECEIVE OUR NOTE AT SOME POINT!"

When Gaara turned around, Naruto was disappearing up a flight of stairs to the apartments.

Finally, he drove off.

Naruto was right. Lee was going to get their note at some point in the day…

* * *

_Can't visit you today. But, I'm still going to keep my promise, even if it's just by small passages like these. Are you feeling better? Do you remember anything yet? What kind of treatments are you receiving? Are they working? Reply when you can._

_ P.S. The next time I come, I'll bring you something cool._

_ Gaara_

_Hey, man! Just heard your story, and damn, that's some heavy stuff, but you're tough shit so you'll be fine. I'll see you next time XD!_

_ P.S. I like drawing emotes when I write._

_ Naruto _

* * *

**Author Note: **Sorry guys! I went on leave for a very _very_ long time, but I'm in college now so…(I'm a big girl now)! All my time has been sucked up, but now that I'm on winter break, I can start catching up on some of my shit! Thanks for all the kind reviews and the pushes you've all been giving me. They mean a lot. I hope you enjoyed this chapter with Naruto in it because even if he's annoying the hell out of you, he's going to be appearing a good amount of times throughout this fiction.

Ciao for now!

_Rockleerox93_


	6. Second Eyes

**[]** Second Eyes** []**

His time had been spent doing the same thing all week: waking up, going to school, skipping class, and going home. Rinse. Wash. Repeat.

It has been four days since his last visit to Lee's hospital room, but in the time regarding that, he had tried talking to Gai. Triedbeing the key word. Gai, for whatever reason, was on leave from school. Gaara asked the sports circle, to be particular, the track team that Gai presided over, as a means to get intel on Gai's whereabouts. Unfortunately, none of the runners could tell him anything useful. _Oh yeah, coach isn't feeling so hot…_or, _Yeah, I think he's on break _or, _I'm as stumped as you man. _To say the least, asking questions was agitating when they produced no answers.

Gaara frowned. He was so very frustrated and so verybored. Wait. He had Naruto didn't he? Well…for the first two days of the week he did. Gaara skipped school, but that didn't mean he neglected the facility. If anything, school was a place where Gaara had more than enough places to sleep, gaze, and walk about. It was much more spacious than his three room apartment…So naturally, he couldn't comprehend Naruto's reasons for not showing up to school, even if he was going to just skip classes.

The first day after Lee's 'waking up' incident, Naruto had talked of plans on how to sneak into Lee's room. Something about popping the lock to Lee's bedroom window with a crowbar. The blond was enthusiastic and fun, but he was not the brightest crayon in the box. Gaara grimaced for the umpteenth time that day. How in the world had he made such an awkward friend?

The second day after Lee's 'waking up' incident, the blond had been acting rather anxious. The boy was hyper to begin with, but that day in particular he was on edge with energy. Energy he shouldn't have had because Naruto had attended three classes that day, something Gaara was sure was rare of the boy. And yet, that hadn't even been the most puzzling thing about Naruto… His eyes for one, as Gaara had always thought, were fox like…so very blue they were, almost like a second sky with the rimming of night around them. But that day, Naruto's eyes had the slightest edge of amber…no…a burnt orange…no. Crimson. Yeah. That was it. Sometimes Gaara wondered if Naruto was possessed by some sort of entity or…something unworldly.

…He was a strange boy…

_"Red. I'm not gonna be here for the rest of the week, okay? Why? Well…I got…something to take care of. I'll say hi to Lee when it's all over. Till then-" _The blond had pecked Gaara on the cheek before hopping off the stone wall and racing to his apartment complex. Naruto had laughed hysterically at the red head trying to best his distance before he fell and caught himself, beat red in the face from anger and embarrassment. Gaara wondered a lot, "Just what the hell is wrong with that guy."

* * *

So the reason as to why he was lying with his back on the art teacher's desk with his hands folded on top of his chest was… Well. The reason was obvious. The class was on a two hour off period and no one was around. So why _not_ lie on the teacher's desk? It had to be the longest he'd laid on…just why the hell did artist need so much space anyway? He didn't care for the answer. All he knew was that it was begging for him to sleep on it.

That was another thing. He hadn't been getting any sleep. Not even a wink. It wasn't because of nightmares either. That's right, he wasn't having nightmares anymore. Rather, he just couldn't sleep for the sake of not sleeping. Knowing that Lee was undergoing weird treatments that probably involved needles, pills, powders, and fluids…

Whoa…he backed off of those thoughts, he'd save those for night time.

Gaara always had an active imagination when the sun was asleep. All he ever did was think. Just stare and think.

Think.

Think.

Think.

When he was awake though, he didn't have to worry about thinking of Lee. He could just lie down all day and wonder about useless things like artists, school, space, and homework. Gaara inwardly nodded at those notions. Yes. He was good at wasting time.

A few squeaky screeches from old hinges didn't make Gaara jump. No. Gaara was not one to be shocked by little noises, especially during the day and at school no less. The red head turned his head to face the intruder by the door. Unblinking black eyes stared at him. A fine silence stretched between them until the unnamed party spoke.

"…I left my art pad in here. I'll just get it and go."The boy said as he made his way across the room in no hurry at all. Gaara, still lying down, studied the boy with diagonal vision. His hair was as black as Lee's, probably fine to the touch, and was flat to the curve of his head. The bangs stopped short of his forehead while the rest was cropped neatly at the boy's chin. Odd…for a guy, he had really full lips...even so, there was no mistaking him for a girl. For one, the boy was tall and languid in height and had a good build. The guy would appear charming if it weren't for his lack of expression. Upon seeing Gaara, a delinquent in the making with wine red hair and pale unblemished skin, the boy had only stared. And quite passively at that.

The boy picked up his art pad, a really big one. 21x12? 24x18? Ah. Gaara didn't care. Art was confusing to him. And then-

"…How is he? Lee, I mean."

Gaara blinked at that. No one had spoken to him about his sudden appearances in classes for the past few days. But the disturbing part wasn't even being talked to. It was the talking about Lee that was strange. Gaara was sure that only he and Gai visited Lee…but still….were there really others?

"…what's you name." Was all Gaara cared to know. He sat up to inflict his most unnerving stare, but the boy's eyes met his just as intensely.

"No need to be so alarmed…it was just a question." The boy made way to leave but Gaara hopped down from the art desk. This action made the boy pause, his hand on the door knob.

"Yes?"

"I asked you a question."

The boy blinked, and then looked at his hand on the knob.

"A question? What you asked sounded like a saying or command. Either does not matter because I don't respond to them. However…" the boy met Gaara's stare once more.

The line that was his mouth curved upward the slightest bit while his eyes gracefully closed. With the tilt of his head he replied, "It is Sai. Have a good afternoon, Gaara." And with that, he left out of the room as screechy as he had arrived. Gaara could only blink before gritting his teeth. His bored mood was turning into a foul one. If there was one thing Gaara hated most, it was liars. And that smile just now… it felt generic, as if it had been clipped out of a magazine and pasted onto a face.

Already…he didn't like Sai. Everything about the guy was beyond fake. Gaara frowned.

He'd have to ask around about him...

Hm.

"I heard that name…somewhere…"

After a quiet minute, Gaara grunted. Curse his memory! His head had been so full of Lee over the past few days that he hadn't even paid attention to matters outside of the hospital. Gripping a hand in his hair loosely he sighed lowly. Perhaps he needed to relax.

No.

That was all he'd been doing until Sai popped up. Maybe now was a good time to investigate. It'd give him something productive to do, anyway.

* * *

Loud.

Why was pink such a loud color? He hadn't expected to be blinded by such an obnoxious hair dye the first step into the hallway. Gaara squinted his eyes. Green and white uniform with tassels. A cheerleader. This was going to be annoying.

The girl with bubble gum hair was twisting her torso and swaying her arms lazily. She was probably waiting on someone, but was bored. Gaara placed his hands inside his pockets before trying to skulk past the cheerleader, but she took note of his movement quickly. With a gasp she hopped backward, hitting her head on an art display case with ceramics in it. Gaara scratched the back of his head. Noisy.

"Er…uh…um!" she spat. Her face was flushed with embarrassment. Gaara glared at her and she flinched.

"I-I was-I mean-thought-thought that-"

"What."Gaara growled.

"I-I-Ithoughtyouwereateacher."

Gaara frowned. She thought he was a _what_?

She tucked a pink lock of hair behind her ear before mumbling something incoherent, but then Gaara narrowed his eyes at her. This girl had a lot of nerve to still be standing in his way.

"I'm waiting for a f-friend so um…" she was really nervous, but she was holding her composure the best she could.

A friend? The only people in the hallway at the moment were he and this girl. The only other person he could think of was Sai. This was the art hallway after all, and Sai had left the art room not even five minutes ago.

"Sai?"

The girl stared at him before pulling at her skirt nervously.

"N…No. He passed by a moment ago."

Gaara shrugged.

"You know him?"

Glancing about the hallway, the girl looked scared. She looked like she was cursing her late friend.

"…..Why do you want to kn-"

A hand thrust past her shoulder and hit the display case behind her. The sound of the glass echoed. Wide eyed, she stared at him, stupefied.

"Do you know him."

His voice was heavy with impatience. He was tired of questions. He wanted answers. But to his surprise, the girl glared at him.

"Y-You can't bully me into talking about him. You're probably up to no good with the way you're acting!"

Gaara yanked her arm and twisted it sharply. She winced.

"Ah-Ahh! I-I'll tell a tea-"

"You were supposed to be at practice, but you're skipping, and are probably waiting on a friend who has a license and can drive you off campus. Is that what you're going to tell the teacher?" It was just a guess, but Gaara was more than certain he got most of the story right. When he would skip and sit out on the roof, all he would see were students skulking off into the parking lot to drive off somewhere, especially at this hour.

The girl bit her lip, scared.

"W-what did he do to you? I-If he upset you, please forgive him. He's going through a really hard time right no-Owww!" The girl looked fit to cry when Gaara twisted her arm again.

…He had missed this feeling. The feeling of being in control.

More than humored, Gaara smirked cruelly.

"H-He just lost his brother at the Methodist a month or so ago-nnnngh—a-and he hasn't been himself! Please l-leave him alonn-Ahh!" She yanked her arm out of Gaara's limp grip and cradled the reddened appendage. With tears in her eyes, she ran off yelling, "Jerk!", before disappearing into another hallway. Gaara stood as if his feet were pasted onto the floor. The elated feeling he had gotten from bullying that girl was gone. He felt low…

"…." Gaara ran a hand through his hair and huffed. What was up with everyone having a hard time? And that guy…Sai...

There was no way that guy was suffering. With the kind of attitude and smile he gave Gaara today, there was no way he was hurting. No one was hurting like Lee was hurting… Grunting, Gaara stomped off toward the exit.

He needed to get the hell out of there.

* * *

Now that he got a better look at the thing, he was sure it was 24x18. The art pad was just sitting there, propped up against a locker. It had to be Sai's…but where the hell was the guy?

"Hello again…"

The voice had come from over his shoulder. Whipping his head around, Gaara snarled at the boy in front of him.

"What the hell are you smiling about?"

Sai crossed his arms, smile still in place.

"Oh…I just find it a bit…humorous, is all."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at Sai, offended. He didn't know what the guy was getting at.

"You can bully even a girl? That's not very nice of you."

"The hell it is. None of your business anyway." Gaara spat. He was pissed off just listening to the guy…and he still had that grin on his face. _"What the hell…"_

Sai put his hands up in mock surrender, "Yes, yes. None of my business, and actually, not what I was meaning to discuss with you."

Gaara waved his hand lazily and huffed, "I don't have time for your stories. I'm leaving." Pivoting, Gaara began to walk off-

"When the Methodist starts allowing visitors, I'd like to go and visit Lee."

Facing that grin, Gaara glared at Sai. His eyes were green knives.

"Why."

The boy shrugged, "Mmm…I have something that belongs to him."

_He's lying…_

Stretching his hand toward the boy, Gaara growled, "Hand it to me. I'll give it to him…"

Sai shook his head.

"Oh~no no. You see, it's a personal gift from me to him."

Gaara snapped at that, "So? He doesn't need gifts from a liar. You're not in any of Lee's classes…what business do you have with him?"

A laugh.

He was laughing…

Cloth was balled in his fists, and a cough sounded. He couldn't think…Fire. He was on _fire._

"What are you laughing at? You want to pick up your teeth? What's so funny, Sai? What's so fucking funny?" Gaara had the boy by the collar, yanking him around as he spoke. But the boy's smile grew with hard laughter.

"Oh! It's just so _funny _to me. Don't you see it? The humor? You think me dishonest, as well as anyone else you don't know who wants to see Lee…yet, the only poison in his life is _you_. Do you really want him to drown in your twisted feelings that _much_?"

A loud crack whipped the air. And then another. And another…punches…kicks. They were rolling around, fighting each other. Gaara grunting. Sai laughing.

The cheerleader from before was back with a teacher, yelling at the boys to stop. As soon as the redhead caught sight of the teacher running their way, he jumped off of Sai and raced down the school corridors. He was a flash of skin. Hands and feet. Running. He heard a 'Stop! Don't run from me!' and another set of 'Tak tak tak tak…'

Even that liar was running.

* * *

The parking lot. His Harley. The street. The concrete. Then…

Home.

He was back at his small apartment…

Dragging himself to his door…

"…?"

It was already open..? Just the slightest crack but…Had he not closed it completely when he left for school? He never locked his door, but he always closed it. Was it the wind?

He threw it open, flipped on the lights, and glared into the lonely space.

No one.

Shutting the door behind him, he sighed.

"…."

_"I have something that belongs to him."_

_"Oh, no no. You see, it's a personal gift from me to him."_

_ "…yet, the only poison in his life is you. Do you really want him to drown in your twisted feelings that much?"_

He clawed the air with quick fingers. Letting out an angry curse, he curled into himself, cradling his head in his hands. Gripping fingers into his hair, he grunted lowly. He was so frustrated…it was so hot...he was on fire…fire..!

_What did he know? That liar! Lee doesn't know him…I don't have weird feelings…Lee's just messed up right now…and I'm fixing the mess I started anyway…and Gai…and Naruto…they'd vouch for me…_

_ "They'd vouch that I'm not toxic…"_

"God…"Gaara straightened himself out before walking to his bathroom.

Flipping on the lights, his reflection made him blink. He was bruised purple oh his chin…and there were sore spots on his torso…shit. That guy wasn't just upper class…he knew how to fight.

After applying some alcohol to his sores, he fixed himself a cup of coffee.

Coffee was relaxing right? And that's what he needed to do…

He turned his television on but couldn't relax. Jesus…where the hell was Naruto when he needed him? Where was Gai? Where was that old lady from the hospital…or even that girl from the front desk…? He needed someone…

Someone to make him feel like he was doing the right thing. Someone to tell him that he was a good person.

But none of that mattered at the moment. He was just too frustrated about the situation with Sai. That guy…he was insane. Laughing like that…laughing at _him_.

Lee…Sai didn't know Lee. A liar like him didn't _know _Lee the way Gaara knew Lee. Sai liked to run his mouth. He doesn't know _anything_. But…Why did he want to visit...to give him a _gift_, a _personal _gift-!

Damn it…he really wanted to know. So many questions he wanted to ask Lee…

Television wasn't loud enough to cloud his thoughts.

His bruises were screaming at him.

Lights in his room were too bright.

Everything about his apartment just made him hot with frustration.

And…

He just…

Lee.

Really wanted to see him.

Was it because seeing the boy had made him feel charitable? Or had visiting simply become routine? Gaara gripped his hair again. He didn't know the answer.

He just really wanted to see him.

Next week was too long of a wait, but what else could he do?

The rest of the evening he couldn't focus on anything. Lost the remote. Spilt his coffee. Tripped on his shoes.

After many angry tantrums he gave up for the day and resigned to his bed before nightfall.

That night, Gaara stared at his ceiling. Thinking.

Thinking.

Thinking.

_ Thinking._

* * *

**AN**: And-I am out of College for the summer~~! Anyway, the plot is moving (for once)! Sai is actually a pretty important character, and so is Naruto :]! So keep your eyes on them. And gee~I really like writing a very angsty Gaara :0. I make every character I love suffer (and I don't even know why~) Anyway, just saying that I'm back. And yes. You won't see Lee for a while. This is downtime for Gaara to reflect on himself, discover new people and their issues, and also...some stuff about Lee ;]! So if anything, the next few chapters be gritty, but a bit more uplifting than these past few. I think..._Forget Me Not_ is halfway over ;0!

_~Ciao~_


	7. The Gift

[] **Gift** []

Casual today, Gaara left his apartment. Still, he left his door unlocked.

He decided skipping school for the rest of the week was in his best interest. With what happened the other day, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to fend off teachers and Sai. Grumbling to himself, he skulked about the battered concrete.

Man…

Suna was such a rundown city. Their school was crap, their people were crap, even he himself…

Scratching the back of his head, he sighed.

It was the afternoon…and the sky was gray. Perhaps it would rain? Huh. He had better hurry with his shopping then. Yes. He was going shopping. He needed some groceries, and a fat check from his father had arrived for the month.

Usually, he put more than half of it back, and spent what he felt was necessary, but this month he was going to splurge. Not because he wanted something ridiculously expensive though. In fact, the last visit he had paid to the Methodist, he had left an index card to Lee saying he'd bring something cool the next time he came.

He was on his way to get eggs, instant dinners, milk, creamer, some more coffee and…a gift for Lee.

Gaara snorted.

Hell. If _Sai_ had something to give Lee then he'd get something for Lee too! He was going to best whatever it was that Sai had in store for Lee.

Gaara's triumphant smile didn't last long, for when he starting thinking of _what _to buy Lee, he drew a blank.

…

What did Lee like anyway?

Gai, track, school, and smiles?

…

He could have seriously shot himself. What the hell did that guy like that he could _buy_?

The entire time Gaara walked to the store, he kept drawing blanks on gifts for Lee.

Flowers…Stuffed animals…Shoes…Candy…

* * *

The Super Market's glass doors parted for him, but he frowned.

Cards…Books…Toys…Erotica…

Shit.

He was still drawing blanks-but-erotica…That could work. He couldn't go wrong with Erotica right? Lee was a guy, and being cooped up in the hospital all day probably put a damper on his spirits. Maybe a nude magazine was what he needed…but then again…Lee didn't strike him as a pervert.

Gaara glanced about and noticed two aisle attendants giving him wary looks. He grunted. With his brown rocker tee and baggy gray jeans, he did look kind of scary…

Grabbing a cart, he went down the aisle of soups and sauces before going down another aisle, mentally checking things off his grocery list. He picked up a few instant meals from the fridge section…coffee grinds…creamer…and finally-

Went looking for a gift.

He was in the holiday section, which, there was nothing worthwhile except for candy, and he didn't know if Lee had a sweet tooth. But then again…how was chocolate going to beat a gift from Sai? Sai could very well be getting him some candy basket.

Grimacing, he went down another aisle. Hm. CD's? What kind of music did Lee listen to…Going down the toy aisle, he noticed a lot of action figures he used to have as a child and smirked. Did Lee have cool toys when he was younger? Ah…Clothes. Gaara had never seen Lee outside of the Konoha dress code. Was he a casual guy? Or did he dress ridiculously tacky? A smile was creeping onto his lips, but he stopped himself from snickering at the thought of Lee in stupid clothing.

The couple aisle with teddy bears and blankets…Gaara frowned. He went down another aisle of food and sighed. Finding a gift was hard…he knew next to nothing about Lee, and everything he assumed was a general gift, still required thought. He couldn't buy him a CD, a shirt, candy, or even a damn card without knowing something useful about Lee.

He just didn't know enough about the guy to get him something meaningful…

Even though his spirits were a bit drained, he went down the only aisle he knew he could make use of. He picked out a few materials, and nodded at his selection with approval.

In short, he'd just have to make Lee's present with the only talent he had.

* * *

His door was slightly ajar again…

_I know I shut it this time…_

Shoving the door open with his back, he dropped his groceries in the entry way. Quickly, he went though his apartment, the living space, the kitchen, his room and the bathroom. Nothing. No one was there…but _still_.

Something was amiss, he just didn't know what.

Frowning, Gaara noted to take an extra two-hundred from his savings to buy a security system later.

Since nothing was out of place or stolen he kicked his apartment door close. He then went to the kitchen and stacked up his fridge and pantry with the groceries he bought. After stocking up, he made himself a cup of almond coffee with sweet creamer…and the materials he bought from the store, well, he kept them in a grocery bag and headed to his room, mug in tow.

Flicking the light on in his room, he neatly placed the materials about his art desk. Sitting down, he took a sip of his coffee before setting it aside. In his mugs place, he grabbed a graphite pencil. Working into the night, he started on Lee's gift.

* * *

He couldn't believe he finished it in one night…The sketch work was loose underneath coats of wild paint and charcoal. The matted frame around the piece was measured with 1 inch margins, and he had painted it mustard-orange…Ah. Gaara rubbed at one of his cheeks sleepily. He hadn't felt sleepy in he didn't know how long…He looked at his clock flashing red letters at him. 5:43 AM. He really needed to sleep…Glancing back at Lee's gift…his ears turned hot.

He rubbed his fingers into his hair and groaned. The fact that it looked _really_ good made him feel embarrassed. Flicking the light to his room off, he tossed himself face first onto his bed.

It had been awhile since he had fallen into a deep sleep.

* * *

When he woke up, red letters flashed at him. 7:34 PM. Jumping up, he checked his iPod Touch to see the date. Ah…he had practically slept into the next evening. Damn. He looked at Lee's gift from the side of his bed and sighed. At least he finished it. Giving his work another glance…he decided that it looked…nice.

_Looks just like him…_

That day he decided to get up and walk to-

…..

Gaara paused on the carpet. Something…

….AH!

Racing to the living area, he found that it was as he left it.

But-

He threw the front door open and glared at his Harley and concrete.

Standing for another minute, Gaara went back inside, seething.

Again. His door had been slightly cracked. And last night, he had locked it.

He was so pissed…! Someone was messing with him, and when he figured out who…well, he just hoped he never found them, because if he did, he was going to put them in the hospital.

Walking back into his room, he yanked a gray thermal blanket from out of his closet. On his way out, he picked up the mug from last night and headed to the kitchen. Making himself a cup of coffee, he plopped down on his couch and stared at his television. He would camp out in his living room for a few days until he bought a security system…

* * *

His weekend had passed stiffly-In the living room sipping coffee, falling asleep, waking up, making more coffee…

And still.

He had woken up, and his door was closed.

Whoever had entered seemed to know when he was in and out of his house. He frowned. Who the hell was messing with his stuff?

* * *

It was finally Monday and he was going to see Lee again…but he wasn't in a good mood. Gai was still gone who-knows-where-And speaking of teachers-he had to avoid the one that saw him fighting in the hall with Sai the week before, however, running from that teacher, he had run into that 'Sakura' girl. This time, she was with her blond friend, and they both ran down the opposite hallway when they caught sight of him.

After having his house violated twice, he was on edge, and every little negative at school was making him hot with impatience.

Oh.

And his blond friend?

Well.

When he saw him, all he wanted to do was knock the boy flat on his back. He really needed him last week, but Gaara had been left to his own stupid decisions.

"Hey, Red!" was all he heard before he walked back into the art room. How the blond found his sanctuary was a mystery of life.

"Wai-Ayyyyeee!"

Stuck in the crease of the door he had shut, was the blonde's hand. Sighing, Gaara eased the door off of the boy's fingers, but not enough to let the boy inside the room.

"Come on, Red!" he pleaded, "I got something serious to tell you. Lemme in! Quick, quick!"

The boy fell forward clumsily when the door let up. With his back, Gaara shut the door. Crossing his arms, he glared at the fox.

"What."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but shut it abruptly. Grasping his chin, he looked off at the rows of empty desks.

"Gaara…I don't know…I mean…promise not to get mad."

The redhead would have snorted, but his friend's serious eyes kept him from doing so. Nodding once, Naruto cleared his throat.

"I think…I overheard some stuff-but-I don't know how accurate-I mean-what I'm saying is-I think I overheard some stuff outside of school about Lee."

Immediately, questions started spilling out of Gaara's mouth, "When was this? Where were you? Who said it? How many people was it? What were you doing? What time-"

Naruto threw his hands up, clearly overwhelmed.

"Look. I dunno. I'm just saying-well-I just-I wanted to confirm if these guys were really responsible for-well-I-okay. Lemme start from the beginning."

Gaara would have sat himself down, but he couldn't get his feet to move. Glued with his back against the door, he stared at Naruto, waiting. Taking a breath, Naruto steadied his voice and proceeded with his story.

_Alright, I was on my way to the Flaming Arcade, but it was crowded on that main street-you know-the one with the bus stop? So anyway, there were these guys a few spaces in front of me, and they're wearing these really decked out clothes…brand-name everything. Watches, jewelry, you name it. I was like, _'Who wears that in Suna? Are they trying to get robbed?',_ and one of them is saying, '_Can't believe that guy didn't have anything on 'em.' _And another pitches, _'Yeah. Had the Konoha clothes and everything.'

_ You know, I'm just walking in people traffic trying to get to the Arcade, so what do I care what they're saying? I just couldn't get over how nice they looked, so I was ease dropping on their conversation 'cause I thought they were saying important stuff, you know? But then one says, _'That was practically two months ago. Let it go, dumbasses-'sides-did you ever figure out where he lived?...No?'

_ I could tell that guy was the leader or something, 'cause he got all pissed and said, '_Jesus! I thought you said you saw him at the hospital! Fuck, Jai, if you hadn't left your damn ring, we wouldn't have to hound the guy.' _ And I guess 'Jai' got scared 'cause he said, _'Well, I tried but I can't just walk in the room if his relative or whatever is there visiting. Whoever it is, they're there all damn day. And when they leave, some other dude walks in-'_ and the other guy, the leader, is still pissed, '_Yeah? Well I don't care. Just get your ass in there and search the room. The guy's practically fucked for life. Not like he can do anything to stop you from asking questions.'

_ And that's when…the Jai guy says, _'I know! But the dude who walks in after the relative is from Konoha too, but he don't look like no Konoha guy…he's scary. I think the guy we screwed over has beef with everyone…'_ The boss says nothing. It's quiet and then the boss says, '_Yeah? What's he look like?' _and that's when…_

Naruto swallowed. He looked Gaara straight in the eyes with his blue stare.

"…Jai said, 'All I saw was red hair.'"

Naruto put a hand on his hip and used the other to scratch the back of his head.

Grimacing, he murmured, "I think they were talking about you, Gaara. And if they were, then they're talking about Lee too."

For a long time, there was silence between them. Naruto shifted about anxiously, murmuring details to himself, 'I'm not really sure if those were their words, but it's the gist of the conversation' and 'That last part though-it was definitely about you.'

Gaara said nothing. He stood with his arms crossed. His stare blank.

Quirking his head, Naruto spoke, "Hey…say something Red."

But Gaara couldn't. He was still empty.

Walking up to the red head, the blond reached a hand toward him, but before he could take the red head's shoulder-a desk was sent across the room.

Astounded, Naruto hopped back with a surprised yelp.

"Whoa, whoa!"

With a low voice, Gaara growled.

"You."

Naruto stood firm and scrunched up his nose, "What? You gonna blame this on me? You're mad-I get it-but-"

Gaara scowled at the blond.

"Why didn't you _do_ something?"

"I tried following bu-"

"You were right _there_, but did nothing."

"Wait-lemme just tal-"

"No." Gaara turned around to storm out the room, but a sharp pain caught him in the back. Twisting around, he caught the blond tackling his midsection, but he stood firm, refusing to fall.

"You're not leaving without hearing me out-even if I have to kick your ass!" The blond yelled, determined. Stubborn and angry, they wrestled violently.

"Listen you idiot! I _did _follow! I've been following them all _week_! That's why I told you I wouldn't be at school-ah! Ohh!" With a busted lip, Naruto wiped away the blood on his cheek and cursed. Gaara had fingers in the blonde's hair as well as an elbow in the boy's neck. Naruto had his hands on Gaara's shoulders with a foot on the guy's stomach, trying to force their bodies apart. Screaming curses, he wailed, "Gah~get the hell off me you psycho!"

With a rough shove, the blond was on the floor, panting. Gaara stumbled on his feet, coughing.

"I know you're not in a good mood, but you don't have to kick my ass! I'm trying to help Lee too, okay? The moment something gets messed up you snap! Not everyone is trying to hurt him, so stop treating people like they're your enemy you crazy, red, fuck!"

Gaara had a hand to his stomach. He coughed bitterly. He needed to snap out of his madness…

"…S…rry…"

The blond shook his head.

"You're a real idiot you know that?"

Gaara said nothing. As if showing his defeat, he put his arms down and looked at the floor.

After a moment of glaring at the red head, Naruto spoke.

"Those guys…I dunno what they're up to, but I lost track of them that day. I kept searching Suna the entire week, but I didn't see them anymore…"

Sighing, Naruto sat cross-legged on the tile, "I didn't catch their faces…just their clothes." Shaking his head, he breathed, "But…I think they're looking for you."

Gaara crouched down to Naruto's level, hugging his head in his arms. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"I think…they may have already found me."

With a blue stare focused on him, Gaara grimaced. Wiping a bruised cheek, he paled.

"They've been in my house, Naruto."

* * *

They were at the Methodist again…

Even though they were rough looking from their fist fight, Gaara had Lee's gift under his arm wrapped in art paper, and Naruto, well, he claimed that his 'presence' was his present.

Familiar double doors parted for them, and coming into the space of the info desk, a volunteer that was sitting behind it asked them for a patient. Answering the volunteer, they were told Lee's room number.

The same narrow hallway…didn't seem as gloomy like all the other times he'd visited. At his side was a curious blond. Bouncy and excited, the blond kept taking note of things, 'Ah…so they go by room numbers and letters? Oh! That's the children's ward right…eugh…this wall color is ugly…oh! That's Lee's room number right ther-'

Murmuring.

They could hear _voices._

There was a conversation going on behind Lee's door.

Alarmed, Gaara stomped to the door to yank it open, but Naruto swatted his hand away. The blond pushed Gaara away, shushing him. With a burning glare, Gaara snapped his head at his friend, but the blond mouthed, '_What if it's those guys?_'

Coming to terms with Naruto's notion, Gaara calmed himself. Together, they pressed themselves to the door and listened close.

The murmuring had stopped…the sound of paper…or an envelope, being opened…and then…the shuffling of some sheets…and then a pause.

"Your face doesn't look too content. You don't like it?"

Cursing under his breath, Gaara pressed his ear impossibly close to the door. It took every bit of sanity he had left to stay put. That voice just now…it was that liar. _Sai._

There was a raspy reply, "I…do not understand this…_gift_. How did you get this? When were you here?"

Gaara sighed softly…

_That's Lee's voice…_

But…what was it he was talking about? What was Sai's gift?

"Does it matter how I got it? I just thought it would make a good…memory, for you."

Grunting, Gaara put his hand on the knob, but Naruto placed his own hand on top of his. With a glare, Naruto was able to communicate a, '_Not yet!_'

There was a shift in the sheets, and then the sound of paper being placed down carefully.

"It does matter. And…this is…inappropriate. This wasn't a good memory at all…"

Even though there was no sound, Gaara could picture Sai's face...a smug smile.

"…Why would you give this to me? I know you say you are a concerned classmate whom I used to know…but if that was true, then why this _picture_?"

"It's just a simple warning, Lee. And I _am _concerned, but not for you."

A pause, and then movement…shoes tapping tile quietly. Then silence.

"…Oh. So...you do_ too_?"

"Yes."

"…Can I ask why?"

"…I guess that's fair. Can you guess?"

"Not at all."

A laugh.

The blond elbowed Gaara lightly, "_Psst! What are they talking about?" _he whispered. Gaara shook his head. He didn't know…but he could guess. Even though he didn't know Sai personally, from what he gathered, one thing was certain: he was incredibly bitter.

"Well…my brother was actually admitted to this hospital months ago. At the time, I had been sitting in the ER lobby, waiting to be admitted to see my brother. Then, all these nurses flew by, all pushing this bed down the hall. It was you, and you were a terrible sight. Hah…I didn't even know what you were being diagnosed with, but I knew you were from my school. It's the only reason I took note of your room number in the first place…"

"Ah…you have a brother?"

"...He was in a coma. Had been for about a week, so my parents and I kept visiting him, and occasionally, I'd walk by your room and see you through your door window. I thought, 'Everyone seems to be in a coma…', but you looked worse than my brother. Ignorant, I thought he'd wake up before you because he wasn't beat up."

There was silence.

"Oh…you really care about him."

"…That's irrelevant to the story, Lee."

"But-"

"I was sure he'd come through, but he didn't."

"Sai-"

"You woke up the day he died."

"…"

"You see? My reasons for hating you aren't your fault. I just need to blame someone is all. I'd blame the world, but the world doesn't have a singular face to point a finger at."

"…"

"Really? You have nothing to comment on now?"

"….I…still want to know something else."

"What."

"How did your brother go into a coma?"

"That…"

A pause.

"I'm not going to tell you that."

"Then…why are you so sour?"

"….."

"You sound like you love your brother, and are mad that he's gone."

Sai snorted.

"You're going to preach to me? You, an orphan? No really-don't shake your head like you didn't mean what you just said. I want to know your philosophy on family, Lee. I want to hear you sound stupid."

"….Stop it."

"No, no. Go ahead. Speak. I'll listen. I'm not leaving until you do."

A shuffling of sheets and a cough.

"…I just think…because you have family, you are lucky. You had a brother you cared about. He's gone but was here…and his presence lives with you and your parents."

"And how does this concern you?"

"…I would think I'm connected…because…I'm the opposite. And opposites are still one and the same, just reversed."

"Hn…interesting theory. Since you're the opposite, your reasons are pitiful and small, yes? Something along the lines of, 'born alone and still are alone?'"

"…"

"Guess what else, Lee?"

"…..?"

"No presence will live on in someone else when you die alone."

CLANK.

Gaara and Naruto stood in the doorway. Gaara's brow was crouched, bunching the skin at the bridge of his nose.

"Leave."

Sai…smiled. Slowly walking past the angry pair, he stopped in the doorway and looked back at them.

"I hope you caught all of that, Gaara. The saying applies to you too, doesn't it?"

"Look man,"Naruto blurted, "Don't get fresh with my friends! I've got their backs if you try anything!"

"Ah. What a hopeless bunch you guys are. You all will have each other in your last moments I guess."

Gaara stood calmly. His brow relaxed, but his aura was anything but.

With a low voice, he said, "If I see you outside of school; the store, the arcade, or even on the sidewalk, I'm going to fucking kick the shit out of you. I don't care if there are police, parents, or babies around, if I even see someone who even _looks_ like you-I'm kicking the shit out of them too."

Sai snorted at that.

"I'll see you at school then."

And with that, he was out the door.

Naruto kicked at the air.

"Who the hell was that? What kind of people are you inviting in this room, man?" Naruto looked at Lee, but Lee was a blank slate.

"…Hey," Gaara approached the side of Lee's bed, "Did you get our note?" Lee glanced at him for a minute before nodding.

Gaara hadn't seen the boy in a whole week…His hair was freshly washed, and his complexion was looking more apricot than yellow…yeah…Lee was starting to look like his old self again.

"Uh…this is Naruto, he's a classmate that was worried-I mean-wanted to see you. Not like Sai 'wanting to see you', but honestly wanting to…see you." Scratching the back of his head, Gaara looked at Naruto as if queuing the boy to speak.

"Yeah, we had some classes together, so if you have questions you can ask me! Well-not questions about class because I haven't been in a while but uh-anything else is fine." Naruto jutted his hand in Lee's face. "Naruto, Uzumaki!" Lee blinked and then opened his mouth, but then shut it.

"Is that your real-"

Naruto nodded.

"On my birth certificate."

Lee's lips cracked a small smile.

"Oh…how…different."

"I know right? Like, what were my parents thinking?" Naruto shook his head with a sigh, and Lee's smile became even wider.

_Ah..._

"You look normal when you smile." Gaara said it without trying to comment the boy's looks, rather, he was just stating a simple fact. It didn't matter how Lee took his words because said boy's ears turned pink.

"…I wish I knew the normal me."

"Then open this."

Handing Lee his gift, Gaara stood by and watched with anxious eyes as Lee peeled away the excess paper around it. Holding it away from himself, Lee's eyes widened.

A portrait of a boy with whipped back charcoal hair stared back at Lee. The boy's green jersey was a smudge of mossy colored paint that was stretched across his torso… Arms were blurs of skin, frantic lines of apricot. There was no sky in the picture, just blurry backgrounds of earthy toned hues…The trimming in mustard-orange was the perfect touch…

"Is this me? Running…track?"

Gaara frowned, "I remember you running during gym…but I mean, it's not that great, I was just-you know-I didn't know what to get you so I thought, 'Oh, I'll just draw something'-but if you don't like it-I'll get something el-"

A slap on the back made him grunt.

"Don't be so modest! Look at that! It looks just like 'em, just all artsy and-hey, how come you never told me you could draw? That's some real talent there! You're not in art, Red? That why you just sit in the art room all day?"

Gaara elbowed the laughing blond with a, "Stop yelling in my ear."

Lee shut his eyes and smiled warmly.

"This is really nice. I really like it. A lot. Thank you."

Gaara wiped away a rising blush.

"It's nothing…"

A loud, "Don't worry, Lee. You'll be back to your old self in no time! When that happens, this picture will be every bit the way you remember yourself." Naruto took Lee by the shoulder and manhandled him into a half-hug.

"…Naruto."

"Huh?"

"Let go of him, he looks uncomfortable."

"Oh-no-I am fine."

Even so, Gaara ripped Naruto off of Lee. Naruto hopped around, mad about Gaara's foul mood, but the red head ignored him.

"So…is it better than Sai's gift?"

Lee's smile dwindled a bit, but he still looked happy, if not a little upset.

"I don't think Sai's gift was a gift…but, yes, yours makes me feel better."

Gaara grabbed his chin and nodded. His reason for grabbing his chin wasn't to look like he was thinking, rather, it was to cover up part of his oncoming smile.

"What'd he get you anyway?" the blond asked. Lee shook his head fast.

"Oh-it is-you know-not very appealing. Do not worry about it."

"Well, we just want to see it-"

"Please…I don't want to have to explain it…do not ask."

Gaara and Naruto were uncomfortable for a second. Whatever Sai gave Lee…it probably wasn't nice. And…

Gaara looked around the room but saw no other wrapping paper other than his.

Huh…whatever it was, it must have been small enough for Lee to hide.

A nurse waltzed in, informing them that their visiting hours were up. With a hearty good-bye from Naruto, and a simple wave from Gaara, they left Lee's room.

* * *

In front of Naruto's apartment complex, the blond hopped off of Gaara's ride. Before putting his feet on the gas, Gaara was tapped on the shoulder.

Glancing at the blond, he blinked.

"What?"

"…If anything happens, you know, with your place, you can always crash at mine. You know-I'm just saying, the offers there if you need it so…don't be an ass and refuse to swing by if your house is blown up or something."

Gaara smirked.

"Whatever."

"I'm serious, Gaara."

"….."

"I mean, you said your door has been open for the past few days…It would suck if something happened to you, especially since Lee needs you, you know?"

"…..Yeah."

Naruto asked for Gaara's cell, and hesitantly, Gaara gave it to him. After swapping digits, he left to his apartment.

Concrete…more concrete…stocky housing complexes…Suna. He was in the heart of it, and then at his apartment.

And…

What he found wasn't just an open door. All of his stuff, his _art_ stuff, inks, paints, and charcoal, just _everything_, was smeared on the concrete in front of his door.

_SaBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME RigHT? SaBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME RigHT? SaBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME RigHT? SaBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME aYE? SaBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME RigHT? _S_aBAKu IS YOUr Name? SaBaKU SaBAKU SAbaKu? THAt's A mONey NaME RigHT?_

_ThiS IS A Fun GaMe. We FOUnd YoU! _

Without looking around, Gaara hit his gas again. He drove off from his place. No way he was sticking around…

Reaching the super market, he hopped off his Harley, almost forgetting to take the keys out of the ignition. Speed walking, he impatiently waited for the double doors to part before skulking toward the clothing area. Now that he was in a public setting rather then outside, he felt comfortable enough to let his guard down. Pulling out his cell, he swallowed. Dialing Naruto's contact, he paced around, waiting on the phone to-

Static Air. Immediately, Gaara began to speak.

"Naruto-"

"Sorry, he's not here right now."

"…!"

Who was that?

"But when you're ready to come out of hiding…we'll be out here in the parking lot of Super Save."

They hung up.

Gaara panicked and whipped his head around.

Just people. Normal everyday people shopping. But-

Someone was watching him.

Someone was outside.

Someone was waiting for him.

And Naruto…

Gaara ran to the music section, not because he found something worth his time, but more so because it was the farthest aisle away from the double doors.

Silently, Gaara made his way toward the back doors of the shopping center. He'd have to ditch his Harley and walk back to his place… Oh. Nevermind that. He didn't have a place to go to that was safe. Naruto's? Was his place any safer? What the hell was he going to do? The only other person he could turn to was…his dad.

But no. That was _not _an option. He would have to-

Crashing into a thick build, Gaara fell flat on his bottom.

"Oh, are you ok…"

Glancing up with panicked eyes, Gaara's mouth fell open. Yes. He was that shocked.

"Hey-oh-you're still in uniform? School ended hours ago."

"Gai…where have you been?"

The gym teacher frowned.

"Just came back from a family reunion but…oh. How is Lee?"

"He's…getting better."

"How's his memory?"

Gaara shook his head, his eyes still wide. He still couldn't believe he was having a conversation with a missing man.

"Oh…well…about that deal, I never was going to carry it out. Now that I'm back, I-I mean-you don't have to keep visiting Lee."

Shaking his head he negated, "No, I want to visit Lee. He's my friend now."

Gai blinked, rubbed his chin, and then, after a moment, smiled.

"That's…good! That's really good."

"But,"Gaara's voice was coming out on its own accord, "I don't think he's safe."

Immediately, Gai was concerned.

"What? Why? Did you hear something?"

"No-I mean-yes-well-my friend heard some guys, but those guys have gotten to him-and they messed up my place and-Lee he's-I dunno-just…messed up."

Gai shook his head impatiently.

"I need you to slow down. What's going on?"

"Gai. I can't stay here. Those guys are trying to hurt me. And if they hurt me, they'll hurt Lee."

"What guys? Where?"

Gai looked about and frowned. He grabbed Gaara's shoulder and led him away from the music.

"Where are we going? That's the safest-"

"You can't stay here till closing, Gaara. Where do you live?"

"I can't go there."

"Did you call the police?"

Gaara shook his head plenty, 'No, no, no!'

"I don't think the police will work…I don't know what they want, or what they look like. This is Suna so…"

Gai scratched his head, but was quick on his feet. They had walked to the clothing area. Gai picked up a gray beanie, and yanked a maroon quarter-sleeve jacket off of a hanger. He placed the items in his small cart and sighed.

Gaara, afraid to stay still, followed Gai around as he did his shopping. After he put those two articles of clothing in his cart, Gai went to the check-out line. He had less than ten items. Milk, protein shake mix, frozen vegetables, deodorant, and the jacket and beanie. Cashing out, he put his cart back in place. Afterward, Gai pulled Gaara by his arm and brought him around the side of him. He pulled out the beanie and jacket and gave them to Gaara.

"Put these on."

Without hesitation, Gaara did as told.

Quickly, he followed Gai out the front doors. Gai kept his pace normal, not in any rush to get anywhere, but his face betrayed his calm features. Gaara on the other hand tried his best to seem normal. Keeping his eyes straight ahead, he didn't look around to see if anyone was watching him. The trek wasn't too long, for they were at Gai's green truck. Hopping into the passenger seat, Gaara stiffened. After throwing the groceries in his back seat, Gai got into the driver's side and started the vehicle.

Exiting the store parking lot, Gaara sighed loudly.

Safe.

He was safe.

Even though he didn't know Gai well at all, he didn't feel threatened by the man.

The drive took less than ten minutes…and in truth, Gai's house was closer to the school than his place. Hopping out of the truck, Gaara stood at its side. He didn't know what to do now. Gai helped him get away from danger, but…where was he going to stay?

"I…I can sleep…at the school…I think."

"Gaara."

"Huh?"

"You can stay here today. Come in." Gai was already in his doorway, and then was in his house. Gaara stood, a bit stupefied, but he quickly took the offer by running inside.

The place was small, almost as small as Gaara's apartment, but Gai's place felt more homey…maybe it was the green curtains…or the soft looking sofas? His kitchen was cozy and had grand wooden cabinets and granite counter tops. The table was black and rectangular. Even though some of the green accents seemed misplaced, Gai's house was nice.

"Don't just stand in the entryway. Come into the living space."

Gaara nodded and did as told. Standing in the middle of the living area, he could see Gai putting things away in the kitchen since the space was connected. Waiting, Gaara bit his nail nervously.

"Now…I don't know what's going on. But you can tell me in the morning, okay? It's late…and we've got school tomorrow."

Gaara blinked.

"I-you think I should show my face at school?"

Gai nodded.

"I drive to Konoha every day since I have to carry around track equipment…so, at 6, be up."

_Six o'clock in the morning?_

"Well…what if those people come to the school?"

"If you attend your classes, you should stay out of trouble, but if you feel like something isn't right, come to the gym and find me. I won't leave on my off periods okay?"

"Why do you care what happens to me?"

Gai didn't skip a beat before smiling at Gaara.

"You're Lee's friend. And you've been trying to keep him safe, right? If keeping you safe keeps Lee safe, then you can stay."

Gaara frowned.

"You don't hate me? For being mean to him?"

"…..You're different now. So no more questions."

Scratching his arm, he looked around. Sofa, kitchen, TV, Gai…

"There's a closet door there…yeah, in that crevice in the wall. There should be blankets and sheets…use the throw pillows on the sofa for your head." Gaara grabbed a denim blanket that felt soft, and pulled out gray sheets that were crisp. The whole closet smelled like detergent…Gai was a really clean person.

"If you need the shower in the morning, there's a bathroom down this hallway." Gai pointed at an archway behind the kitchen table.

"Take your first left, and the bath's in there. Towels are in the cabinet behind the door so…"

"Gai."

"…?"

"….Thanks."

Gai scratched the back of his neck and frowned.

"Welcome, and g'night."

Gaara Nodded as Gai left to his room that, apparently, was on the second floor. Once he saw the stair light go out, Gaara proceeded to strip down to his boxers and under shirt. Neatly, he placed his uniform, as well as the beanie and shirt Gai had bought him, in the closet with the blankets.

Crawling onto the sofa, Gaara fixed his sheets and blanket and rested his head on one of the sofa's green throw pillows.

Even though he was safe and sound…he still couldn't believe it.

Only an hour ago he had been talking to Naruto, exchanging digits just in case something happened but…

Naruto hadn't answered his phone. Someone else had…

Was the blond okay? And should he call the police? And if he did, would they have enough to go on to find these guys?

And Lee…Gaara shook his head. Of course Lee was going to be safe at the hospital…

But…

_For how long?_

Gaara didn't know what to do, but worrying himself was going to drive him insane.

Still…he couldn't believe his own luck. He really owed Gai.

Despite how worried he was, his eyes were droopy with sleep.

He'd figure things out tomorrow for sure…and he'd tell Gai everything; Lee, Naruto…those…guys…and maybe…he'd even…even…

His thoughts drifted to black. That night, Gaara fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**AN: **I am on a roll you guys. I can't believe this turned into a long chapter :0! It just wrote itself really *U*. Thanks to KakaIru, I was able to get to writing this quick, but long update :D! I'm sorry if stuff is confusing and going too fast, but I'll try to explain stuff in the next chapter. It's late here, so i'mma head to bed~Thanks for the push guys!

~_Nite_~


	8. Subtraction

**[] Subtraction []**

The ride to school wasn't as awkward as he had imagined it to be.

Strapped into the passenger seat of Gai's truck that clicked and clanked with every bump, he couldn't find anything to complain about. The teacher whom he thought was strange and loud all this time was actually a really good guy. It was no wonder Lee liked Gai so much. The man was kind, even to the meanest of people.

Gaara propped his arm up on the truck window and placed his chin in his hand. He wasn't looking for comfort; in fact, his real intention was to sniff the sleeve of his school jacket without being obvious. It smelled of ocean and detergent…fabric softener and air. He glanced at Gai without moving his head. Had the man gotten up while Gaara was asleep to wash his school clothes? Again, he sniffed.

Gai said nothing as he pulled into the school parking lot. With the weather turning cold, it was no wonder that it was still dark outside at 6:20AM. Gaara had never woken up early on his own. But he didn't have a choice now that he lived with Gai. The man was a teacher after all; he had to be up at this hour to work. Had Gaara been as naïve as he was a night ago, he would have huffed and puffed about the early hour, but he was beyond that immaturity. He owed Gai too much to complain.

The vehicle rumbled when Gai twisted the keys to kill truck.

"Help me get the track poles out the back." Gai said. Gaara only nodded before hopping out the side door. Gai pulled down the latch on his truck and then proceeded to pull out the poles. They were at least 3 feet high, and it looked like there were less than a dozen of them. Gaara didn't understand sports, but from what he'd seen on the track when Lee ran, the poles were set up on either side of the track with tape stretching from one end to the other. And then…the runners would jump the tape every few feet. Lee was a green flying machine…or at least that's what he remembered. Frowning, Gaara took hold of half a dozen poles and watched as Gai took the other half in one arm, and closed the latch of his truck with the other. With the nod of Gai's head, Gaara knew to follow the man to the other side of the building where the gym was.

* * *

The darkness of the day cleared in a haze of gray, then fuchsia, and then baby blue. Gaara had never watched the sun break horizon; it was almost like a photograph, or even a graphic card. Even though he couldn't feel the heat of the sun yet, he already felt warm inside. The atmosphere made stacking the poles on either side of the race track bearable, almost enjoyable. Gaara was told to work the left side of the track while Gai attended the right. Every 5 feet they placed a pole down and then taped a line that stretched from Gaara's left poles to Gai's right poles.

Glancing at the pavement that was the track, Gaara couldn't help but find it interesting. The white chalk was horizontal every few feet-marked in increments of five-5 ft…10 ft…15 ft…and so on. The vertical chalk cut a column of six across the horizontals. Down casting his eyes, Gaara recalled all the runners having their own space on the field. The vertical setup was for the runners to stay in their lane…but such a handicap was not necessary for Lee. Lee was efficient and precise on the track, nothing like the clutz he was inside of school.

Sticking another pole into the dirt, Gaara scratched his head.

Two Lee's…one in school, one in track…It was strange. But maybe Lee's track was like Gaara's art. The red head was mean and distant, but his art was the fragile and expressionistic part of him that no one got to see. Maybe track was Lee's serious and passionate side that Gaara wanted to meet… He frowned at his thoughts. Perhaps he was over thinking things again.

He chewed at his thumbnail. He hadn't chewed his nails in forever, but he needed to do something to calm himself down. Glancing up at Gai, Gaara cursed mentally. He really needed a cigarette but there was no way he could smoke in front of Gai. Chewing wasn't very cool, but Gaara could care less about his image at the moment. He didn't have the time to care about appearances. More important matters needed his attention.

Naruto was missing.

He was being followed.

Lee was still in danger.

Chew. Chew. Chew.

"That's a bad habit, Gaara. Try gum." Came Gai's suggestion, a little too close. Gaara looked up and noticed the man approaching him.

Placing his hands on his hips, Gai smiled down at him. Gaara would have smiled back, but that wasn't his style. He only blinked.

"We're all done here, so I guess we can get something to eat." Gai gave his black sports watch a quick glance. "There are some fast spots around here…should we walk? The cafeteria doesn't open for another hour."

Gaara, not really knowing how to address a teacher, caretaker, or adult, could only shrug.

"That sounds good…"Glancing up again at the man, he swallowed. Gai didn't look down at him though, he only proceeded to walk ahead of the boy with a, "Come on then. It's a seven minute walk to and from an eatery I know."

* * *

He didn't know why, but his mouth was spilling guts. Everything. In seven minutes, he told Gai everything.

On the way to the Ackmichi's diner, Gaara's words weren't as scrambled as last night's. His words were blunt and to the point. Danger. That's all he could think. The sooner he spoke about the mess he was in the faster Gai could understand and the sooner they could come to a solution.

After a quick rundown of the story, they were on the sidewalk to the diner's entryway. Gai ran a hand over his face. After a moment or so, he removed his hand. Gaara didn't move. He was too ashamed really. Gai was all he had…and if the man were to say something like 'I don't know' or 'how does that happen when…' then Gaara would likely explode with regret and anger. But what came out stilled him.

"How should we start investigating?" and then came a suggested, "Perhaps locating your friend-this Nar-root-too?"

"Naruto."

"That's what I said. And maybe you can ask his friends if they've seen him around after yesterday."

Gaara could only nod at the suggestions, and even though he thought it was a simple plan…he didn't know if Naruto had any friends besides himself.

"And these boys-how did that happen again?"

Gaara then explained that the boys were probably the ones who put Lee in the hospital, and were now trying to shut everyone else Lee knew, up, because of some item they lost at the scene of the mugging...

Gai said nothing to that.

They walked into the diner and ordered a simple breakfast of pancakes and bacon with a side of hash browns. Getting their orders to go, Gai paid and they were out of the diner, heading back to the school. On the seven minute trek back, Gai said "If we don't find anything out in two days, we need to call the police," and then he was silent. Gaara didn't feel the silence at all though. His brain was full of voices-questions actually-to notice.

_ Ask about Naruto-to who? Naruto's phone-how did that gang get to him so fast? Lee is safe in the hospital-but for how long? I'm with Gai-but what should I do?_

* * *

Having finished his breakfast on the walk back to Gai's green truck, he parted ways with the man-

"Class", Gaara assured.

The bell had yet to ring. He'd only have to wait twenty minutes to hear the buzz of school, but he really felt _strange_. In fact-he was getting anxious-so anxious he was drawing blanks on his schedule.

'_What was my first period again?' _

A metal rattling broke the silence. A locker being opened. Bringing his eyes from the floor and onto the early bird, he narrowed them. Pink.

Said color flinched around the cheerleader's head. She turned to leave, but-"Hey"-froze her in mid-step. Not turning to look at the red head, the Pink stayed motionless-obviously waiting for a sign of danger to actually run.

"I won't mess with you, so stay there." Gaara affirmed, "I have a question…but I'll stand here and ask it." the girl's shoulders drooped at that, but her legs seemed to be shivering-slightly-despite the fact that she was wearing sweats under her skirt.

Crossing her arms, "I've got ten minutes until practice" and then a hand on a hip, "So make it five." Despite her brave words, she didn't show her face to him. Swallowing his pride, Gaara started with a question, "Did you know Naruto?"

A pause. And then a shaky breath, "The funny looking blond with the scars on his cheeks?" came the question.

Gaara nodded, but then remembered that she didn't have eyes on the back of her pink head, "Yes."

"…He was just some kid who sat behind me in Culinary," Pink locks shook slowly with the movement of her head, "-always bugged me for rice cakes. And when I'd refuse, he'd say he would take me on a date-like it was a threat or something. And when I'd refuse that he'd sleep the class away with a goofy grin on his face…" Then came the stillness of air…and then another shake of her hair, "Other than those facts, I don't know anything about him."

And just like that, she was on the move. Slow walking strides-the kind students paced themselves at so they could _maybe_ succeed in sending a text without bumping into another student. Gaara took two steps forward, and lifted a finger hesitantly, "Wait. One more. I promise." Thankfully, she paused again-this time with a, "Two minutes."

It wasn't a lot of time, but he would take what she gave him. Again, he prepared the words, but they came out sloppily.

"Lee. You might have seen him around? Not lately-but-well-you know him? _Knew_. Knew him, I mean."

That question made her pivot right around-slowly-but not the 'intentional' slow like her walk. Big jade eyes stared at him, and her mouth was a tight line of peach. A minute passed with her staring at him. Finally, she broke the air.

"Knew…"

Gaara shook his head defensively-_damage_ "He's alive,"-_controlled_.

"Oh…" Then she faced Gaara fully. She swallowed-nervous again-but Gaara wasn't sure if it was he she was nervous of.

"A good guy. No one knew it-wanted to know it, you know? Lee was just weird like that. So no one thought about him. Like _really_ thought about him. He was just the kid who smiled too big and talked too much. So everyone kind of threw him under the bus…ah…"The tight lips broke into a curve, and continued to grow until the girl was full-blown laughing. Moments were frozen, and the only sound was Pink gasping with silent bouts of air. But then she choked on it.

And then her face was pressed into both her palms. There was uncomfortable silence, and all Gaara wanted to do was take back the question-but there was no stopping it now. The way the girl just stood there though-still as stone-he knew that she was collecting herself-_willing _herself notto break. Gaara didn't know what her relationship with Lee was-but it couldn't have been a nice one.

Bringing her face back up, it was blush pink. Her nose was rosy, and her eyes were a bit puffy with grey undertones. She didn't cry though. She continued, "I threw him rocks-not crumbs. If I knew about today, I wouldn't have been so awful when he was walking around, you know? When I walk all I feel are bricks. Down in my book bag. Down in my shoes. Down in myself."

Scrunching her eyebrows without closing her eyes, she pursed her lips tight-willing herself to keep from closing up. With one solid nod, she said, "He was good…and I'm only sorry that he isn't here."

She turned around-almost mechanically-and began to walk in that paced manner…but she seemed lifted. No more bricks.

Gaara watched her march off then turn a corner and disappear from the hallway.

And then the bell was ringing.

The onslaught of arriving students pushed him out of the hallway as everyone went up to friends, lockers, or the cafeteria. Gaara on the other hand…pressed his hands way down into his pockets. Checking for bricks.

None. But he felt heavy all the same.

What scared him about the Pink was how she felt. He almost wanted to nod a '_me too' _while she was speaking.

Skulking off toward the second floor he readied himself for AP English-a class he'd never even attended. Not even on the first day of school.

* * *

**AN: Okay. I know. I KNOW! It's been forever (can you ever forgive me?)-but I swear, this thing is really close to ending-I feel it :0! So guys, if I do end up finishing this story this summer, what should I do next? There's a poll on my page with 3 different story plans for GaaLee! So drop me a note/comment/pm~~just whatever. I'm really itching to start a new project (even though I haven't quite finished others) because...I'm losing interest in the ones I have now ; u ;. I'm so evil...and I don't even try. **

**Anyway, I hope this keeps you guys busy, ciao for now!**


	9. Addition

**I would like to say...Hi. And that this is a really long...long...chapter. So to all those who read this-you're really amazing. Thanks!**

* * *

+Addition+

[][][]

Entering AP English, he wasn't surprised to see students staring at him—some confused—some knowing to be scared. The teacher on the other hand looked…pale. Glancing around, he saw that there was an empty seat in the middle row next to a mousy girl. Sitting down, he glanced at others desks and saw they were littered with necessary pencils, papers, and textbooks…all things he lacked at the moment.

The teacher stood and began taking role. One…four….ten…

"And…Hinata Hyuga?"

The mousy girl next to him stuttered a, "Here" before the teacher started lecture. A total of eighteen names had been called. Gaara, a bit at a loss, did not raise his hand to correct his teacher that he was indeed, present. He knew that maybe he had been dropped from the role sheet a while back, and that was the reason he wasn't called.

"…No sight so sad as that of a naughty child…especially a naughty little girl. Do you know where the wicked go after death?"

At this, many hands went up. Gaara assumed this type of exercise was normal in this class. He kept his hand down.

"You in the middle."

Gaara blinked and then looked at the shy girl, Hinata, next to him. She had her hand up, but the teacher wasn't looking at her.

"Red hair."

Gaara grumbled mentally.

"Your answer?"

For a moment, all eyes were on him, some anxious, others humored.

"…the quote is from _Jane Eyre._" he responded.

The teacher blinked. And then blinked again.

"…Correct." The teacher gave Hinata a quick glare before continuing, "...our impulses are too strong for our judgment sometimes."

"…from _Tess of the d'Urbervilles_."

"Teach the ignorant as much as you can; society is culpable in not providing a free education for all and it must answer for the night which it produces. If the soul is left in darkness sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness."

After a moment of contemplating, Gaara decided.

"…from _Les __Misérables__._"

The teacher glared at Gaara hard.

"…Just admit it."

Gaara frowned. He knew he was being picked on, but he didn't know a quote that short in the books from their booklist.

With Gaara silenced, the teacher turned to look at the shy girl.

"Hinata. Stand up please." Hesitantly, said girl did.

"Were you giving him the answers?"

Hinata, confused, blinked once before looking at Gaara and then back at the teacher.

"Well…no."

The teacher glowered at her with impatience.

"If he's threatening you, disregard them. Tell the truth—he'll be sent elsewhere."

Stuttering another, "No, I didn't give him the answers," the teacher looked beyond pissed, but had Hinata sit back down. The teacher turned her attention back onto Gaara and fussed, "Stand up." Doing his best not to roll his eyes, he did.

"You will remain standing for the rest of the class. And if you so much as _glance _around—I'll send you out of the room."

Gaara tightened his lips at that. He didn't find the situation disbelieving because in truth, he knew he deserved this kind of harshness. He was a delinquent. He skipped class. He was dishonest. Even though he deserved this… didn't mean he had to like it. The old him would have made a scene before exiting the room and slamming the door—but Gai told him to withstand his classes if he wanted to be safe. So, even though he hated his bitch of a teacher he would stand his ground. Obediently.

"Now then…"

"Excuse me."

Blinking, the teacher saw that no hand was raised, but the one speaking continued.

"Gaara isn't cheating—he wouldn't have passed AP testing for the class if he was an idiot."

The teacher, at that, was insulted.

"…talking without permission is prohibited in class." Whipping a finger out, she pointed at the door, "Stand in the hall, Neji."

Neji. He had the same glassy eyes and long hair as Hinata…Gaara vaguely remembered Neji and Hinata having the same last name when they were called by role.

After Neji exited the class, all the students were ruled with silence—perhaps by fear of the teacher's bitterness or by Gaara's presence. Either way, there were no more interruptions. For the remaining forty minutes, Gaara attended class standing up.

* * *

After the dismissal bell, Gaara filed out of the room with the other students. Upon exiting, he noticed Neji standing outside the door frowning at Hinata as she asked him, "Are you okay?"

"Hey."

Neji looked at him without enthusiasm.

"Yes?"

"You didn't have to say what you did."

Neji shrugged, "I know, but don't mistake it. I put in a word because I know that you visit Lee."

Blinking at that, Gaara looked at him quizzically. And then blinked again, but this time with realization.

"You were in track with the number eight jersey."

Neji nodded.

Thinking back on it, Gaara recalled Lee challenging Neji to racing duels—even when it was uncalled for. Gai used to yell at Lee a lot…

"Why don't you pay him a visit?"

Shaking his head, Neji closed his eyes.

"Visiting him would do nothing. It'd be too awkward…" Neji regarded Gaara with hard eyes before sighing. "We were track partners…nothing close to friends."

With a hand on Hinata's shoulder, Neji guided her to their next elective while giving Gaara a dismissing look when the tardy bell rang.

* * *

Physics had the same student reactions of surprise and confusion, but the teacher's reaction? Since the school year was half over, maybe some teachers stopped caring. Who showed up? Who did homework? This teacher's reaction was completely absent. Said teacher regarded Gaara blandly with a, "Take a seat" when he walked into class. Glancing around, Gaara recognized two faces.

A guy with tough brown hair with round, out-of-date glasses, was dissecting a frog. He was very precise…cutting around the frog's belly and examining its stiff inners. Gaara only knew the guy as 'Beetle' because everyone called him that. Why he was called that, Gaara didn't know. Frankly speaking…with the way Beetle was splicing that frog? Gaara didn't want to know.

Some seats back, another guy with a brown top-knot was yawning. He looked bored…but that wasn't new. This guy's name was Shikamaru, and he was always tired. Gaara never quite liked the guy—he just seemed so lazy. He dragged his feet, dragged his words, and stared at people with half-lidded eyes. And right now, the guy had his chin in hand, staring down at his lab worksheet. Or at least seemed to be. With the way his chest was moving, Gaara knew he was asleep. Talk about a good-for-nothing.

Even so…they were the only two students he knew by face. So he approached them, Beetle first. The boy paused in his dissection when Gaara addressed him as Beetle, but the boy went back to working on the frog, correcting Gaara with, "It's Shino." When Gaara asked about Naruto, Shino paused and noted that he had Economics with the blond, but other than that, he knew nothing about Naruto. Nodding, Gaara walked over toward the dozing off Shikamaru. Tapping the lazy boy's shoulder, the boy cracked an eye open, a bit surprised to see Gaara addressing him and not the teacher.

When asked about Naruto, Shikamaru made an annoyed face and sighed. He acknowledged Naruto's presence around school…but never kept up with the blond because he was annoying to be around. Like Shino, Shikamaru didn't know anything but the basics of Naruto. Not where he was, or why Gaara was even asking about him.

Guesstimating answers on his lab worksheet, it occurred to Gaara that…if _he _were the one missing instead of Naruto, what would happen? Having built such a shallow—but deepening—friendship with the blond, he was sure Naruto would ask students about him…but who would care to answer? The difference between Naruto and himself was that Naruto was naturally sociable, reasonable, and funny…things Gaara wasn't. And the scary part was…Naruto's natural personality only got his character around. He was a good guy. But no one knew him. Gaara gripped his pen.

In retrospect, Naruto was just as much an outcast as himself…as much an outcast as Lee.

In that moment, Sai's words from the hospital came floating back to him.

'_Ah. What a hopeless bunch you guys are. You all will have each other in your last moments I guess.__' _

Gaara tensed.

Before he could finish his worksheet the dismissal bell rang for lunch.

* * *

To be frank, Gaara had never been in the cafeteria. He skulked past the double doors of the eatery northward. Even if he obeyed Gai and went to Lunch…he wouldn't have a place to sit. Before Lee was hospitalized, he was Gaara's victim. Bullies didn't sit with their victims. And Naruto, before their friendship, was still a loner. Even if the blond was at school today, he'd probably avoid the café too.

The Art hall wasn't on break yet and Gaara really didn't want to run into Sai, so he settled for the Library until the dismissal bell for Calculus rang.

Entering the Library, he noticed a check-out helper…and a familiar face. He didn't know the girl's name, but she hanged around the Pink most times. With a blond pony tail and swoop bang, she noticed him with a teal eye and glared. Gaara, for a second, felt threatened—ashamed even—but he didn't let his face show it. He didn't know the girl, but he had enough sense to know that she had reason to hate him. But even with reason, he had reasons of his own, and he needed her help.

"Hey."

The check-out helper glanced his way, but the blond did not. Walking forward, Gaara stopped a few feet behind the blond and said, "I have a few questions to ask you…but I'll stay in this spot."

The blond paused for a second, but then she collected her gardening books from the check-out helper. With a quick pivot she was facing Gaara. She was holding her books with slack arms. Her face was tired, yet, upset. Already, Gaara knew she wasn't going to be nice about this.

"What is it."

"Have you seen Naruto lately?"

For a moment, the girl looked confused, but then she smirked.

"My information isn't cheap you know."

"That's fine."

Fiercely, she glared at him.

"Really? You're not going to bully me into telling you?"

When Gaara didn't answer, the girl frowned. Then she shrugged.

"Twenty."

Gaara blinked at that, but then nodded his head. Reaching into his leather wallet, he handed her a twenty that he held between two fingers. The reaction he got…pissed him off. Why the hell did she look _scared_?

Looking at the twenty outstretched to her, she was at a loss for words. Then she stared at Gaara's face. Her brows were crouched and her eyes were hard…but her slack arms became tight with nervousness. Slowly, she shook her head before looking away from him.

"Look…I was just kidding about knowing something. I didn't think you were seriously going to give me money." She then glared at him with her glass eyes and said, "And even if I did know…I wouldn't tell you. You don't deserve help." Before Gaara could react, she quickly walked off—leaving the library with her gardening books in tow.

Even though he knew he deserved it—even though he knew she had the right to be mad—he was pissed. Those words…really hurt. With a sore chest, Gaara awkwardly turned away from the check-out counter.

"Hey!" Came a perky voice.

Gaara gave the addresser a side glance and saw that it was the check-out helper. She was a tanned girl with two brunette plats pinned up into high buns. If he was being comical, he'd say she looked like the humanized version of Minnie Mouse.

Seeing that Gaara had paused at her call, she smiled.

"You said you're looking for Naruto, right?"

With an awkward nod of his head, Gaara straightened up. He didn't know what turn of luck this was, but it was really lifting his mood.

"I don't know Naruto personally…but I think at the beginning of school he was walking around with a transfer student named Sa…?" The brunette paused.

"Sasu…?" Rubbing the back of her neck, she shrugged, "Sorry. I don't remember his name. He was here momentarily before he zipped back to his country, but you should ask around. He was really popular with the cheer leaders...I think?"

Gaara asked if the transfer student lived outside the country and the girl answered, "I heard he lives here to get a better education…but that he travels to his country to be close to his family? Anyway—that blond guy was always arguing with him when he was around. He might be back in the states now so…check with him?"

Gaara waited on anything else she wanted to inform him about, but after a moment of staring at the other, she shrugged.

"Just giving you something to go on." She smiled softly before going back to stacking books.

Nodding with understanding, Gaara paused. It didn't feel right to leave without saying something. So, awkwardly, he said "Thank you."

The girl looked up from her book stacking and blinked at him. Her face flushed and she shook her head fast.

"It's the least I can do…since you know Lee."

Hurrying to the other side of the Library with her book cart, she disappeared.

Gaara never really considered the thought until now, but this was the third time someone thanked him for Lee's sake. Gai letting him into his home on a whim…Neji sticking up for him in English…and now information from this check-out helper in the Library? Even though Gai was a couch, Neji a rival, this girl a stranger—even though they weren't friends to Lee…they knew Lee was a good guy.

Gaara frowned. He knew himself—that he wasn't a good person, but because of his deeds for Lee, he was being rewarded a second glance from people who feared or hated him.

He was having another epiphany…

Doing good for Lee's sake was giving him a second chance, externally and internally.

And in truth? Gaara didn't know how to feel about that. But he didn't have time to figure it out. The bell for Calculus was ringing.

* * *

No.

Of all places…

The liar was three seats ahead of him. Smiling that fake smile.

When Gaara had walked into his Calculus class and saw Sai sitting in the front, he almost punched him. Almost. But the way Sai reacted to Gaara's presence—that's what pissed him off the most.

Sai had ignored him—like he hadn't even met him.

Gaara could hardly concentrate on the lecture. Could hardly do his work… All he did was glare at Sai, wishing to set him on fire with hate alone.

The bell was ringing—and Sai was one of the first to leave class—but Gaara followed. After a few moments of fast walking, Gaara cut Sai off by standing in front of his Art class.

With a slow blink Sai frowned.

"You're making me late."

"You can afford an absence."

After a moment, Sai crossed his arms and smiled.

"…Can I help you? Gaara, was it?"

He…was boiling. So angry. He couldn't understand how Sai could look him in the eyes without an ounce of guilt. Even though Gaara was a bastard, he still _felt_, still _knew_ what being wrong was. But Sai…he was near heartless. Damn him. Gaara wasn't going to let Sai live down his wrongs. He didn't deserve his mercy.

"Right after you left the hospital…I dropped Naruto off at his apartments. He's been missing since."

Sai's immediate response was to shrug.

"Is that really surprising? And it's not my business anyway."

"The fu…like hell it isn't! You hate Lee—you hate Naruto—you hate everything. Why wouldn't it concern you? Just admit that you set them up!"

With a serious glare at Gaara, Sai rolled his eyes, "I truly pity you…so delirious with desperation. Such a sad thing."

"I'm not delirious…stop playing mind games! I know you ordered a hit on Lee. Naruto too. They're dying because of you, you lying bastard..!"

For a moment, all was still.

"A _hit_?"

"Stop playing dumb!"

"What kind of hit?"

Gaara could only stare at Sai after that cold response. This guy was truly unbelievable.

Grabbing his temples he growled a low, "A _gang _hit! Did you do it or not you fucker!?'

Suddenly, Sai was grabbing Gaara's shoulders to glare him in the eyes. With a firm jerk to his shoulders, Sai had Gaara's surprised attention.

"You said a gang-Which one-What were they wearing-What was their symbol-Did they have rings?"

_Rings_…

Gaara was stunned to stillness, but then punched Sai's chest to get away from him.

"I don't owe you any information. You answer me first!"

Biting his thumb, Sai glared at the tile. Calculating… This was the most Gaara had seen Sai react to anything. But the fact that he wasn't sweating from guilt pissed Gaara off. This meant that Sai wasn't at fault for Lee or Naruto. He was only at fault for being an asshole.

Gaara frowned at this. But…

_Rings…_

That's when he recalled Naruto's account of events at the Arcade when he was scouting Lee's attackers.

Glaring at Sai, Gaara was confused. He didn't have reason to hide the information…other than the fact that he hated Sai's guts. But Naruto's life was at stake. Lee's too. He didn't have time to be selfish.

"Naruto…he mentioned something about the gang that attacked Lee. One of them had lost a special ring when they mugged him."

To that, Sai bit down hard-drawing blood from his thumb. He didn't flinch.

"Rings…" Sai started to fast walk in a circle while mumbling, "…Jai…bastards…"— and some other things Gaara couldn't catch. Not sure whether to be worried or annoyed, Gaara called out, "Hey…", but Sai was still walking in circles.

"Hey!" Sai stopped his mad walking-jerking his head around at the sound of Gaara's barking.

"You know something about this gang. So it can't be you."

Sai said nothing in response, but the worried anger on his face did not clear.

"Tell me what you know. It's important to me, you get that right?"

Placing a hand on his forehead, Sai shut his eyes and shook his head.

"You…did you hear me? Say something you-"

"Gaara," Sai gave Gaara a look so stern, that it actually silenced him.

"Leave them alone. Don't pursue anything."

Before Gaara could retort, Sai yanked Gaara by the arm with a firm grip, "If they've cornered you, then there is nowhere for you to run." Sai shook his head at Gaara once, "Just stay still—and play dead. Understand? Okay? Don't do anything stupid."

Quickly, he threw Gaara away from him and walked out of the art hallway—muttering to himself.

* * *

Gaara skipped his next elective to go to the gym. Gai was just dismissing a class when Gaara walked in. Gai, a bit worried at Gaara's presence, questioned why he was skipping class—but the spooked look on Gaara's face answered everything.

"What happened?"

Gaara told him about the check-out helper and the meeting with Sai. Gai held his chin in thought…

"Do what he says."

And before Gaara could make an angry retort, Gai added, "We're looking for Naruto, remember? After tomorrow, we'll be calling the police. So stay focused."

"Yeah, but those guys-"

"Are trouble." Gai finished. With a stern look, he continued, "I don't like them either…but they sound too big to handle." The worried look on Gai's face made Gaara nervous.

"Gaara."

"..?"

"If Sai told you where those boys were, what were you planning to do with that information?"

"I…" he paused. He wasn't sure why he paused because he had an answer. Or at least he thought he had an answer. When he opened his mouth again, nothing came out. Frustrated…he could feel his face flaring red.

At first he thought the mugging that happened to Lee was bound to happen…but it was more than that now. This gang—they were big. Bigger than him. Bigger than Gai.

Gaara felt lower than ever. Never had he felt so useless.

"Your face when you walked in was excited and scared."

"..!"

Gai put firm hands on Gaara's shoulders and looked him in the face with honest eyes.

"Gaara…you're angry enough to do something stupid. But you can't afford to be angry right now."

"…"

"You know why? Because Naruto needs you. And because Lee needs you. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"…"

Gaara wanted to make Sai talk. He wanted to heal Lee. He wanted to save Naruto. He wanted to hurt that gang. But he couldn't do any of those things…because he was just Gaara.

His face felt like it was on fire.

"Hey."

"…"

Gaara's face felt like it was breaking. He hadn't realized what he was doing until Gai gave him a worried look. But it was too late to put his face down and hide it. Gai already saw.

"Hey…" Gai gave Gaara's shoulders a small squeeze, "You're a good kid…tough to handle sometimes-but a good kid."

Quickly, Gaara brought a hand up to wipe his cheeks.

"I'm not a kid…"

"Not a kid—but you're young. As you grow up, you lose power as an adult, see? Can't do all the things you used to. And the list of rules you follow now? It only gets bigger."

"…"

"Because you're a k—still young—you can get away with what I can't. You've still got room to make stupid mistakes…so do it. But if it's dangerous, prioritize. Now then…" Gai let go of Gaara's shoulders so that the boy could have more leverage to wipe his face, "Maybe you should start inquiring about Sasuke."

After blinking a few times to get the blurry vision to pass, Gaara frowned—embarrassed that he let himself slip in front of an adult—and quirked his head.

"…How do you know the exchange student's name? The check-out girl never told me."

Gai gave a hearty laugh, "I'm a couch! He was a student of mine—never liked track, that one, but he was good at Soccer." Gai gave a brief description of the boy—white skinned, black eyes and hair, the shape, Gai explained, was like a ducktail. Also, he mentioned that Sasuke was French…or something.

The bell for dismissal came…but Gaara stayed in the gym with Gai. Mainly because the dismissal bell was the last of the day, and that Gai was his ride home. Well. His ride to Gai's home.

* * *

After helping Gai pick up the gym and track equipment, they hopped into his green truck.

Gaara looked at Gai—frowning.

Before Gai started the truck, he glanced at Gaara and blinked.

"What's that look? You have a question?"

"…Can we stop by the store? I really need to get something."

Gai looked troubled, but he gave his 'okay' before pulling out of the school parking lot.

* * *

As Gaara hopped out of the truck, Gai too was opening his door.

"No." Gaara snapped. Gai gave Gaara a surprised look.

"No…"Gaara repeated softly, "I'll go in myself. It's just small stuff."

Gai gave a slow nod—one that meant he wasn't entirely okay about it, but wouldn't call Gaara on it.

"Alright." He said, closing his door again. As he watched Gaara jog toward the street, he called out, "Gaara."

Turning around, the boy glanced at Gai in the truck window.

"Ten minutes okay? If you're not back, I'm calling you. So keep your phone on…and if you don't answer, I'm coming in. Got it?"

Gaara stuck his hands in his pockets before looking around. When he saw that no one was paying him any attention, he nodded at Gai with an embarrassed, "Yeah" before disappearing behind the automatic sliding doors.

Once inside, he rushed over to the clothing section. If he was going to be staying with Gai for a while, he might as well get himself some spare under garments and socks…

Going down some aisles, he found racks of things he needed and while he was at it…his mind started drifting.

He hated to admit it…but he wasn't entirely against authority. Well, not against Gai's authority. But it was still really embarrassing to be bossed around by an adult. Not that he was a mean adult. Still…he can't believe he did that.

Ripping a pair of boxer briefs off its rack, he mentally cursed, "So stupid…"

Crying like that in front of a teacher.

"Damn it."Gaara murmured as he went about looking at socks.

If anything, the action was infuriating…yet relieving. He flushed at the memory. He was really embarrassed about the whole thing.

"…"

Gaara touched his stomach and felt it gurgle again. Sighing, he decided to walk down the boxed food aisle. He didn't want to be a burden on Gai since he was already loitering there. The least he could do was fix his own food. Gaara knew how to cook simple things, but something fast and cheap would have to do since he didn't feel like getting fancy in a kitchen that wasn't his. Going down the food aisle, he saw flavored microwaveable rice, canned soaps and meats, and ramen-

"…is right one?" The boy turned the Styrofoam container around to read what Gaara assumed was the flavor. Squinting his black eyes he focused on the writing…but after a moment he sighed. Gaara wasn't sure if the boy was satifi—ah. He threw the ramen cup into his shopping cart anyway.

"No care. He eat whatever."

The boy started down the aisle again—and shit. Gaara couldn't believe he was just watching the boy go. His luck. His luck was really amazing it seemed. This guy…there was no mistaking him.

"Excuse me" the boy didn't stop. Had he heard him? Perhaps it was because he wasn't speaking…what did Gai say?

_He's French…or something._

"Excusez-moi, avez-vous assister à Konoha?"

At that, the boy gave a slow glance around the aisle before looking at Gaara. He blinked.

Gaara had to admit that his French was rusty, but with his father being a CEO at a computer company, he was made to know a few languages to greet his father's diverse co-workers.

The boy frowned.

"What?"

With that, it was Gaara's turn to frown.

"You speak French?"

The boy shook his head fast, "No no! I no speak the French."

In the back of his mind, Gaara made a note to correct Gai.

"Oh…what do you speak? Besides English, I mean."

"…"

"…"

"Speak slow. Slo-o-ow."

Somewhere in his mind, he contemplated how the guy got accepted into Konoha. Maybe with money, just like himself?

"Are you Sasuke?"

The boy put a hand on his hip and sized Gaara up.

"Why?"

"I'm looking for Naruto. Have you seen him?"

That got the boy's attention.

"Naruto." The boy narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Who you are?"

"I'm Gaara."

Pause.

"Ah…!" the boy clapped once, a smile on his face, "Yes, yes…this good! You. You come with me now, 'kay?"

"..!"

The vibration from his cell made him jump. The boy stared at him with a, "What wrong with you?"

Looking down at the number, he saw it was Gai. Holding up a finger he said, "Let me answer this. Then I'll go with you."

The boy shrugged, not caring that he had to wait.

"Yeah?"

"Gaara. Leave through the back."

Gaara narrowed his eyes, "Gai…what's wrong?"

"Nothing yet…but I saw a group go inside. They don't dress like it, but I know they're trouble. Leave through the back, you know, near the plant nursery?"

"Okay."

"Alright. I'll drive around back."

He hung up.

"Sasuke."

The boy, a little startled, frowned.

"Yeah?"

"Let's leave through the back."

"Why?"

"There are some guys coming. And they're bad, understand? Now let's go, this way. Okay?"

"But the stuff-"

"Shop later."

Gaara grabbed Sasuke's arm and manhandled him out of the aisle. Yanking his arm away from Gaara, Sasuke glared at him.

"Lasciami andare, idiota!"

Slowing his run to a jog, Gaara gave a surprised glance at Sasuke.

"You speak Italian?"

"…you hear what said?"

Gaara glared at Sasuke hard, "Yeah. I heard what you said."

"..!"

They shared a look.

Very close murmurs…

They definitely heard _that_.

"Stop fooling around, dumbasses! Didn't you say he came in here?"

"Well yeah…there's no mistaking him. That girly looking guy."

"Hurry up. We're drawing too much attention as it is."

There was silence in the adjacent aisle for a moment…and then unequal steps. The sounds were thinning-

"..!" Gaara grabbed Sasuke's arm and led them forward—exiting the boxed food aisle and into the candy aisle.

"They split up." Gaara gave Sasuke a stern look, "You know them or something?"

"…No talk now. Later."

"Hello."

Sasuke jumped, but Gaara was anxious. Gaara turned to face the addresser and frowned.

He was determined to absorb every detail of any gang members he could. The male in front of him looked a few years older than him. He had a black crew cut, a sharp pointed nose, and a black stud in one of his ears. Said male narrowed blue eyes at them. Then he snorted.

"Must be my lucky day, yeah? Didn't know Red was in here too…guess this is…what's that saying?"

"Two birds with one stone, Boss?" Came an answer from behind Sasuke's shoulder. Gaara cursed. They were cornered from both ends of the aisle.

"Uh-huh." He stepped out of Gaara's way. "You want to run right? Go on then. We just need that fag behind you. We'll collect you later."

"La Fag? Che cosa! SO che cosa significa in Inglese!"

The 'Boss' made a face, then yelled at the guy behind Sasuke, "What? Are your arms for show, Sato?" The one named Sato straightened up before hooking an arm around Sasuke's neck. Reeling Sasuke into his chest, Sato stood straight, waiting on another command. The guy was thick and tall…Sasuke was practically standing on his tip toes. It was all he could do to breath.

"In public?" Gaara smirked, but he wasn't as smug as he let on, "You guys have no shame."

Boss shrugged, "So? Not everything is going to have a perfect time or place…like your house? We could've gotten you anytime we wanted."

"So why didn't you?"

Boss stared at Gaara for a long moment…and then he smiled.

"Because you know the guy in the hospital."

Gaara didn't know what he was doing until he was snatched up by Sato's other arm. He was hooked by the neck, just like Sasuke. Struggling with fury, Gaara gurgled on his own scream. He hated this. If he went out without so much as punching the Boss, he would never forgive himself.

"Can't have our only lead disappearing too quickly, right? So don't panic. Everything-"

A thick noise sounded and Sato grunted. The brute was falling forward with Gaara and Sasuke in hand.

They shared a surprised look before ducking down and rolling out of Sato's arms before he crashed to the floor. The Boss blinked in surprise, but not with humor. From his crouching position on the floor, Gaara sprinted forward, and with a quick leap, launched himself toward Boss with a fist thrown back. His neck jerked forward while the rest of his body was yanked. His collar. Someone had their fist balled at the back of his collared shirt.

"Come on!"

Whipping his head around, he noticed that he was being made to run with a fist in his shirt. Many times, he almost fell behind the person leading him…glancing up, he thought he would see Sasuke, but said boy was somewhere ahead of him, yelling something like, "Hurry the fuck up" in Italian. The person manhandling him was familiar.

Gaara shook Sai's fist out of his shirt. Confused and furious, Gaara picked up his speed, circling around the side of Sai to glare at him.

"Don't talk. Just listen to me." Sai breathed. Spotting another one of the Boss's thugs ahead of them, he pulled Sasuke back to simultaneously push Gaara and Sasuke in the aisle beside them. He followed after, whispering, "We can't go through the garden. Go through the toy aisle. There's a back exit there."

"Sai-"

"You didn't listen to me."

"But-"

"You tried to hit that guy."

"He-"

"Save Naruto. Heal Lee. That's what you said you'd do."

For a moment, there was only breathing as they turned the corner of the Hal-mart cards.

"You know…" Sai began, "That gang belonged to my brother."

Gaara snapped his eyes at Sai.

"In the end, they put him in his grave."

"…"

"I've known their location for months…I just never pursued. Didn't want to end up like my brother, you know?"

Sai shook his head, "But I need to finish this."

"Even if it's the death of you?"

There was a pause. Gaara looked at Sai's face and saw that the boy's eyes were hard…but watery. Sai's jaw tensed, and then he closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose. Opening his eyes, he looked at Gaara with a firm expression. The watery look in his eyes was gone now.

"My brother deserves closure...so yeah."

"…"

They came to an abrupt halt at the Toy aisle. The exit was just beyond them. Sai ran up to the door and, after a strong push, had the iron door cracked.

"Go."

Sasuke was the first to squeeze through. Gaara tailed after him, but he paused inside the space. Looking at Sai now, he just couldn't hold his grudge anymore. The moment Sai came for them, Gaara had already forgiven him.

"Come with us."

"I can't."

Gaara rarely ever said this…but the situation was too big for him to be embarrassed about it.

"Please come with us."

"Can't."

After a moment of silence, Sai suddenly smiled, taking Gaara by surprise.

It wasn't generic at all.

"You're a good guy, Gaara. So forgive me later, okay?"

"…?"

A sharp kick to his side sent Gaara out the door and into the parking lot. Getting up on shaky legs, he heard the 'thud' of the iron door shut. Sai-

Sasuke was yanking Gaara up, pulling him away.

"We go here, now!"

Gaara was lost in thought for a second…but he straightened up. Pulling his arm out of Sasuke's panicked grip. He shook his head. Walking off to the side, he urged Sasuke to follow.

"No, I have a ride on this side. Seguimi, Sasuke. _Seguimi_!"

That's right. He didn't have time to think. All he knew was that Sai was angry. Had _been _angry for a long time.

Gaara frowned.

Sai's brother deserved closure. And that's all there was to it.

After some fast jogging around the back, Gaara finally spotted Gai's green truck.

Gai honked his horn a few times, and Gaara didn't hesitate to hop into the backseat as Sasuke took the front.

Gai looked beyond worried, but he sped off before the boys could put on their seatbelts.

After a pause in atmosphere, Gai looked at Sasuke before giving a questioning glance to Gaara.

Gaara shrugged, "My lucky day?"

"…Right." Gai looked to Sasuke and smiled awkwardly, but the response he got from Sasuke made him frown.

"My house, we go. Now. Fast fast fast!"

"What?"

"Gai" Gaara said, "I'll ask him where he lives, but we have to go there no matter what. He knows where Naruto is."

Gai didn't have time to respond before Gaara tapped Sasuke's shoulder with, "Dove vivi? Dateci il vostro indirizzo."

"156 Brazo Dr. E' all'angolo successivo."

Gaara turned to Gai, "156 Brazo Drive. He says it's the next turn."

"Alright…"As Gai turned down Brazo Drive, he blinked. The houses were very square and rock like…the street was worn down and the sidewalks had weeds growing out of them. A little unsettled by the apartment complex's nature, Gai started browsing around for the apartment number.

"He speaks Italian by the way. Not French."

Sasuke nodded to that, but Gai only narrowed his eyes-even more confused.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Is not same. No no no."Sasuke stressed, but then he threw his hand forward, "We here, stop car."

"It's a truck."

To that, Sasuke made a face.

"What?"

Gaara and Gai shared a look before saying in unison, "Never mind."

Gai parked out front, but wasn't sure whether or not to stay inside. Gaara gave him a look before saying, "Come with us."

He wasn't going to leave anyone else behind if he could help it.

Getting out of the vehicle, they entered Sasuke's apartment…and for a place that looked like trash on the outside, it was really neat on the inside. Before Gaara could admit that he was impressed, a loud voice boomed, "Did you get the stuff I wanted at the store? I'm starv…!"

Gaara had never thought he'd be relieved to hear yelling.

Running up, Naruto hooked Gaara into a big hug.

"Dude! Dude! Ah man!" He pushed Gaara away from him for a second and smiled.

Then Gai spoke up, "…What's with all those scratches?" He pointed to Naruto's rough figure. Even with his shirt on, Gaara could see bandages under Naruto's collar. A few band-aids were sprinkled on his arms, hands, and cheek…

"…Those guys were waiting for me on the stairs of my apartment floor." Naruto scratched his neck, "I got jumped." He pointed at Sasuke and then shrugged. His eyes were wide with humor, "And then this guy? He just happened to live in the shitty-" he eyed Gai and then nodded his head in apology, "I mean…crappy-apartment complex behind my building. He was just walking around or something and saw my ass-" He looked at Gai, "-tail—getting canned, and shot his gun off. They scattered like ants."

"Gun?" Gai said, giving Sasuke a look. Shrugging, Sasuke said, "Itachi's gun. He scared I live this place. So gave to me."

"You carry it everywhere?"

"Only here, around." Sasuke twirled his finger above his head—meaning that he carried his gun around all the shady apartments.

"Saved him. Now he slave—clean everything for rent."

Naruto gave Sasuke a look before turning to Gaara again.

"They took my phone…"He dropped his head, a bit ashamed, "But I couldn't leave for school without giving away Sasuke's location and-"

"That's fine. You're no honor student."

Naruto laughed, "Yeah. Gonna have to repeat the year, anyway."

"Yeah…me too."

They laughed nervously, but then Gai said, "Boys, focus." Gaara and Naruto nodded sheepishly.

"Now then…those kids that I saw walking in the store—are they the same ones that cornered you, Naruto?"

Naruto frowned at Gai.

"It was past evening—so it was kind of dark. But I know it was more than three of them. And they seemed older."

Gaara was curious…"Did one have blue eyes?"

Blinking, Naruto stared at Gaara.

"Yeah…" he frowned, "Yeah, one of them had blue eyes…they were really bright so-." Naruto narrowed his eyes before pointing a weak finger at Gaara, "How do you know that?"

Before Gaara could answer, Naruto interrupted, "You're not doing anything stupid right? Just leave them alone! You see what happened to me? I got fucked up." Naruto didn't bother looking at Gai in apology this time—he was mad. "If Sasuke wasn't there, I'd be like Lee. Or worse."

Gaara put a hand on his forehead and took a calming breath.

"Yeah…I know. I'm not going to do anymore stupid things. Lee needs me."

Naruto nodded.

"So…how is he?"

"I haven't visited him today."

"That makes sense…visit him tomorrow then. And tell him I said, hi."

"Naruto."

"…?"

"They knew where I lived. Knew I was visiting Lee. They've been patient this entire time—but now they're pulling out all the stops."

"…"

"They're going to try something drastic...I know it."

"But that guy" Sasuke interrupted, "he take care all them."

Gaara put his forehead in his hand, "Sai is just one guy, Sasuke. He can't do everything."

"Sai?" Gai said, disbelieving, "Wait. What all happened in the store? Gaara-"

"We were cornered and Sai saved us. He looked certain of himself…but I knew he was scared. I asked him to come with me, but couldn't make him."

Gai shook his head, still disbelieving. He began to bob his knee. Then he looked at Gaara.

"You said you saw those boy's faces?"

"Yes…well, two of them."

"Then," Gai put his face in his hand, "I think it's time we involved the police."

Gaara's eyes widened. Before Gaara could interrupt, Gai shook his head.

"They can't keep getting away with this. Now that Naruto has become a victim, he can press charges. With Sasuke and you acting as witnesses, you can testify and get them put away."

Gaara blinked…they could save Lee?

Smiling for a brief second, Gaara remembered Sai.

"Well, what do we do about Sai?"

Gai closed his eyes. His silence confirmed his thoughts.

Gaara could feel cold consuming him—the color of that bright blue—that guys eyes…he was drowning in them.

Finally, Naruto broke the silence. "We'll call the police then." He looked at Gaara, then Sasuke. They all nodded.

"Gai?" Gaara said, "We should go back now." Gai paused for a moment.

"Let's call the police first…and then we'll leave." After agreeing, Naruto dialed the number and reported his run in with the gang to the operator. He also mentioned how a string of happenings resembling his may involve the same gang. The operator asked about the other happenings, so Naruto told them about Sai's brother's death and Lee's mugging. They then asked for facial features and ages of the gang.

"They said they've filed it…they've been on this case since two months ago—back when Sai's brother was put into a coma." Naruto said, hanging up the phone as he did so.

"Gang muggings aren't usually reported…but because he was the adopted son of the chief of police, it was."

They all snapped their heads at Gai.

"Sai and his brother are the chief of police's-"

"Yes…so there's no doubt the police will put this as a top priority."

Gaara…was suddenly pissed off.

"What?" Gaara quirked his head. He was confused…agitated…and sore.

"You mean…this whole time after Sai's brother's death they've just been sitting on their asses? What about after Lee was mugged? Did they ignore it because he was a charity case?"

"I don't know." Gai pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've been spending my time at the prescient to get the chief to do something…" Gai shook his head, "It wasn't the right time for me to ask him of anything…he had just pulled the plug on his oldest and…he was angry…and even as the chief of police, he can only do so much harm within the law..."

Gai paused before licking his lips.

"I think…now that Sai's in trouble, things can only go up or down."

Gai looked at Gaara with something that Gaara could only call 'worried', but he knew it was more than that.

Whatever the look was, it made Gaara realize something he wished he hadn't.

"…_you lose power as an adult, see? Can't do all the things you used to. And the list of rules you follow now? It only gets bigger."_

Adults…if they were not brave enough to break the law…then they were as useless as children.

The only difference between children and adults…

_The only difference was_…

Gaara didn't hear anything else Gai said. When he saw that he was being addressed, he blinked.

"Gaara…? I said let's go. Did you hear me?"

Numbly, Gaara nodded. Following Gai out the door, he stole a glance at Naruto and Sasuke…and wasn't satisfied.

They weren't safe anymore. They never really were.

* * *

They had just driven out of Sasuke's apartment complex when Gaara gave Gai a blank look.

"Hey."Gaara said.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for letting me stay at your house and stuff."

Gai, a little bashful, was taken aback by Gaara's blunt thanks.

With a smile he shrugged, "It's no problem."

"And you were always looking out for Lee…are you his dad or something?"

Gai laughed and shook his head, "No no…"

"I wish you were."

Gai's laugh tapered off into a nervous chuckle.

"You're kind of happy and loud all the time, but you're a good person."

With a slow blink, Gai said, "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Compliment."

"…"

"I wish you were my dad."

"Gaara."

"Because my dad doesn't forgive mistakes."

"Gaara…this conversation is a little strange."

Gaara turned to face Gai—waiting until Gai was able to face him too. When they stopped at a red light, Gai did.

"I don't care."

"Well…"

"I'm just saying thanks."

The light turned green again, but when Gai pressed the pedal, Gaara smiled.

"You're a good person."

Gaara's vision was blurring as he unfastened his seatbelt.

"I'm sorry about this."

"…!"

Gai snapped his eyes at Gaara, then the light, and then at Gaara again. He threw an arm out to keep Gaara in his seat, but the boy had moved in time to push the truck door open.

"Gaara..!"

Leaping out of the truck, Gaara tucked his head as he rolled into a nearby road island. In his peripheral vision he saw Gai's truck come to a slamming halt—its hazard lights were blinking, but Gaara hopped to his feet and dashed into the apartment complexes. Turning his head, he could see Gai's shrinking figure in the distance. The man was pacing around his truck—his hands on his head….

Gaara hid behind a building…and after a moment of catching his breath…began to sprint in the direction of Suna.

He was being stupid and he knew it. But that was okay. He could just blame it on being young.

As mad as he was, he couldn't let the image of Sai's watery eyes go. As much as he wanted to go home with Gai, he had to do this. If what Gai said in Sasuke's apartment was true...

Then…

None of them had a tomorrow.

With that, Gaara's legs began to course with speed—a speed that, if he fell—could really hurt him.

If they didn't have a tomorrow…then what he was about to do wouldn't be a complete waste.

* * *

**AN: Yeah. I don't know what happened...it wrote itself and so did Italian Sasuke. Yeah...I...I really don't know where he came from. Sai isn't evil and Gaara is more human than first planned. I feel like there are two chapters to be had: A final chapter and then an epilogue. **

**Ciao~**


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